Is there a way to iterate through all enum values? [duplicate]

Answer 1

You could iterate through the array returned by the Enum.GetNames method instead.

public class GetNamesTest {
    enum Colors { Red, Green, Blue, Yellow };
    enum Styles { Plaid, Striped, Tartan, Corduroy };

    public static void Main() {

        Console.WriteLine("The values of the Colors Enum are:");
        foreach(string s in Enum.GetNames(typeof(Colors)))
            Console.WriteLine(s);

        Console.WriteLine();

        Console.WriteLine("The values of the Styles Enum are:");
        foreach(string s in Enum.GetNames(typeof(Styles)))
            Console.WriteLine(s);
    }
}

Answer 2

Use the Enum.GetValues method:

foreach (TestEnum en in Enum.GetValues(typeof(TestEnum)))
{
    ...
}

You don't need to cast them to a string, and that way you can just retrieve them back by casting the SelectedItem property to a TestEnum value directly as well.

Answer 3

The problem with using enums to populate pull downs is that you cann't have weird characters or spaces in enums. I have some code that extends enums so that you can add any character you want.

Use it like this..

public enum eCarType
{
    [StringValue("Saloon / Sedan")] Saloon = 5,
    [StringValue("Coupe")] Coupe = 4,
    [StringValue("Estate / Wagon")] Estate = 6,
    [StringValue("Hatchback")] Hatchback = 8,
    [StringValue("Utility")] Ute = 1,
}

Bind data like so..

StringEnum CarTypes = new StringEnum(typeof(eCarTypes));
cmbCarTypes.DataSource = CarTypes.GetGenericListValues();

Here is the class that extends the enum.

// Author: Donny V.
// blog: http://donnyvblog.blogspot.com

using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Reflection;

namespace xEnums
{

    #region Class StringEnum

    /// <summary>
    /// Helper class for working with 'extended' enums using <see cref="StringValueAttribute"/> attributes.
    /// </summary>
    public class StringEnum
    {
        #region Instance implementation

        private Type _enumType;
        private static Hashtable _stringValues = new Hashtable();

        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a new <see cref="StringEnum"/> instance.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="enumType">Enum type.</param>
        public StringEnum(Type enumType)
        {
            if (!enumType.IsEnum)
                throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Supplied type must be an Enum.  Type was {0}", enumType.ToString()));

            _enumType = enumType;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the string value associated with the given enum value.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="valueName">Name of the enum value.</param>
        /// <returns>String Value</returns>
        public string GetStringValue(string valueName)
        {
            Enum enumType;
            string stringValue = null;
            try
            {
                enumType = (Enum) Enum.Parse(_enumType, valueName);
                stringValue = GetStringValue(enumType);
            }
            catch (Exception) { }//Swallow!

            return stringValue;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the string values associated with the enum.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>String value array</returns>
        public Array GetStringValues()
        {
            ArrayList values = new ArrayList();
            //Look for our string value associated with fields in this enum
            foreach (FieldInfo fi in _enumType.GetFields())
            {
                //Check for our custom attribute
                StringValueAttribute[] attrs = fi.GetCustomAttributes(typeof (StringValueAttribute), false) as StringValueAttribute[];
                if (attrs.Length > 0)
                    values.Add(attrs[0].Value);

            }

            return values.ToArray();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the values as a 'bindable' list datasource.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>IList for data binding</returns>
        public IList GetListValues()
        {
            Type underlyingType = Enum.GetUnderlyingType(_enumType);
            ArrayList values = new ArrayList();
            //List<string> values = new List<string>();

            //Look for our string value associated with fields in this enum
            foreach (FieldInfo fi in _enumType.GetFields())
            {
                //Check for our custom attribute
                StringValueAttribute[] attrs = fi.GetCustomAttributes(typeof (StringValueAttribute), false) as StringValueAttribute[];
                if (attrs.Length > 0)
                    values.Add(new DictionaryEntry(Convert.ChangeType(Enum.Parse(_enumType, fi.Name), underlyingType), attrs[0].Value));

            }

            return values;

        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the values as a 'bindable' list<string> datasource.
        ///This is a newer version of 'GetListValues()'
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>IList<string> for data binding</returns>
        public IList<string> GetGenericListValues()
        {
            Type underlyingType = Enum.GetUnderlyingType(_enumType);
            List<string> values = new List<string>();

            //Look for our string value associated with fields in this enum
            foreach (FieldInfo fi in _enumType.GetFields())
            {
                //Check for our custom attribute
                StringValueAttribute[] attrs = fi.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(StringValueAttribute), false) as StringValueAttribute[];
                if (attrs.Length > 0)
                    values.Add(attrs[0].Value);
            }

            return values;

        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Return the existence of the given string value within the enum.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="stringValue">String value.</param>
        /// <returns>Existence of the string value</returns>
        public bool IsStringDefined(string stringValue)
        {
            return Parse(_enumType, stringValue) != null;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Return the existence of the given string value within the enum.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="stringValue">String value.</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">Denotes whether to conduct a case-insensitive match on the supplied string value</param>
        /// <returns>Existence of the string value</returns>
        public bool IsStringDefined(string stringValue, bool ignoreCase)
        {
            return Parse(_enumType, stringValue, ignoreCase) != null;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the underlying enum type for this instance.
        /// </summary>
        /// <value></value>
        public Type EnumType
        {
            get { return _enumType; }
        }

        #endregion

        #region Static implementation

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets a string value for a particular enum value.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="value">Value.</param>
        /// <returns>String Value associated via a <see cref="StringValueAttribute"/> attribute, or null if not found.</returns>
        public static string GetStringValue(Enum value)
        {
            string output = null;
            Type type = value.GetType();

            if (_stringValues.ContainsKey(value))
                output = (_stringValues[value] as StringValueAttribute).Value;
            else 
            {
                //Look for our 'StringValueAttribute' in the field's custom attributes
                FieldInfo fi = type.GetField(value.ToString());
                StringValueAttribute[] attrs = fi.GetCustomAttributes(typeof (StringValueAttribute), false) as StringValueAttribute[];
                if (attrs.Length > 0)
                {
                    _stringValues.Add(value, attrs[0]);
                    output = attrs[0].Value;
                }

            }
            return output;

        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Parses the supplied enum and string value to find an associated enum value (case sensitive).
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="type">Type.</param>
        /// <param name="stringValue">String value.</param>
        /// <returns>Enum value associated with the string value, or null if not found.</returns>
        public static object Parse(Type type, string stringValue)
        {
            return Parse(type, stringValue, false);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Parses the supplied enum and string value to find an associated enum value.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="type">Type.</param>
        /// <param name="stringValue">String value.</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">Denotes whether to conduct a case-insensitive match on the supplied string value</param>
        /// <returns>Enum value associated with the string value, or null if not found.</returns>
        public static object Parse(Type type, string stringValue, bool ignoreCase)
        {
            object output = null;
            string enumStringValue = null;

            if (!type.IsEnum)
                throw new ArgumentException(String.Format("Supplied type must be an Enum.  Type was {0}", type.ToString()));

            //Look for our string value associated with fields in this enum
            foreach (FieldInfo fi in type.GetFields())
            {
                //Check for our custom attribute
                StringValueAttribute[] attrs = fi.GetCustomAttributes(typeof (StringValueAttribute), false) as StringValueAttribute[];
                if (attrs.Length > 0)
                    enumStringValue = attrs[0].Value;

                //Check for equality then select actual enum value.
                if (string.Compare(enumStringValue, stringValue, ignoreCase) == 0)
                {
                    output = Enum.Parse(type, fi.Name);
                    break;
                }
            }

            return output;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Return the existence of the given string value within the enum.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="stringValue">String value.</param>
        /// <param name="enumType">Type of enum</param>
        /// <returns>Existence of the string value</returns>
        public static bool IsStringDefined(Type enumType, string stringValue)
        {
            return Parse(enumType, stringValue) != null;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Return the existence of the given string value within the enum.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="stringValue">String value.</param>
        /// <param name="enumType">Type of enum</param>
        /// <param name="ignoreCase">Denotes whether to conduct a case-insensitive match on the supplied string value</param>
        /// <returns>Existence of the string value</returns>
        public static bool IsStringDefined(Type enumType, string stringValue, bool ignoreCase)
        {
            return Parse(enumType, stringValue, ignoreCase) != null;
        }

        #endregion
    }

    #endregion

    #region Class StringValueAttribute

    /// <summary>
    /// Simple attribute class for storing String Values
    /// </summary>
    public class StringValueAttribute : Attribute
    {
        private string _value;

        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a new <see cref="StringValueAttribute"/> instance.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="value">Value.</param>
        public StringValueAttribute(string value)
        {
            _value = value;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the value.
        /// </summary>
        /// <value></value>
        public string Value
        {
            get { return _value; }
        }
    }

    #endregion
}

Answer 4

.NET 3.5 makes it simple by using extension methods:

enum Color {Red, Green, Blue}

Can be iterated with

Enum.GetValues(typeof(Color)).Cast<Color>()

or define a new static generic method:

static IEnumerable<T> GetValues<T>() {
  return Enum.GetValues(typeof(T)).Cast<T>();
}

Keep in mind that iterating with the Enum.GetValues() method uses reflection and thus has performance penalties.

Answer 5

It is often useful to define a Min and Max inside your enum, which will always be the first and last items. Here is a very simple example using Delphi syntax:

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
type
  TEmployeeTypes = (etMin, etHourly, etSalary, etContractor, etMax);
var
  i : TEmployeeTypes;
begin
  for i := etMin to etMax do begin
    //do something
  end;
end;

Answer 6

Little more "complicated" (maybe overkill) but I use these two methods to return dictionaries to use as datasources. The first one returns the name as key and the second value as key.

public static IDictionary<string, int> ConvertEnumToDictionaryNameFirst<K>()
{
  if (typeof(K).BaseType != typeof(Enum))
  {
    throw new InvalidCastException();
  }

  return Enum.GetValues(typeof(K)).Cast<int>().ToDictionary(currentItem 
    => Enum.GetName(typeof(K), currentItem));
}

Or you could do

public static IDictionary<int, string> ConvertEnumToDictionaryValueFirst<K>()
{
  if (typeof(K).BaseType != typeof(Enum))
  {
    throw new InvalidCastException();
  }

  return Enum.GetNames(typeof(K)).Cast<string>().ToDictionary(currentItem 
    => (int)Enum.Parse(typeof(K), currentItem));
}

This assumes you are using 3.5 though. You'd have to replace the lambda expressions if not.

Use:

  Dictionary list = ConvertEnumToDictionaryValueFirst<SomeEnum>();

  using System;
  using System.Collections.Generic;
  using System.Linq;