Diving in OOP (Day 6): Understanding Enums in C# (A Practical Approach)

Introduction

My article of the series “Diving in OOP” will explain enum datatype in C#. We’ll learn by doing hands on lab and not only by theory. We’ll explore the power of enum and will cover almost every scenario in which we can use enum. We’ll follow a practical approach of learning to understand this concept. We may come across complex examples to understand the concept more deeply.

Enums (The Definition)

Let’s start with the definition taken from MSDN:

“The enum keyword is used to declare an enumeration, a distinct type that consists of a set of named constants called the enumerator list.
Usually it is best to define an enum directly within a namespace so that all classes in the namespace can access it with equal convenience. However, an enum can also be nested within a class or struct.
By default, the first enumerator has the value 0, and the value of each successive enumerator is increased by 1. For example, in the following enumeration, Sat is 0, Sun is 1, Mon is 2, and so forth.”

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Pre-requisites

I expect that my readers of this article should have very basic knowledge of C# and I always wish that my readers should enjoy while reading this article. Also, keep writing programs by yourself that are given as examples in this article, to get hands on and understand the concept more deeply.

Roadmap

Let’s recall our road map.

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A Practical Approach

Enum plays almost the same responsibility as the class does, i.e., creating a new data type, and it exists at the same level as class, interfaces or structs.

Just open your Visual Studio and add a console application named Enums. You’ll get Program.cs class.

Note: Each and every code snippet in this article is tried and tested.

Declare an enum at the same level as of Program class, call it as Color.

Program.cs

namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
        }
    }

enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green
}
}

In the above mentioned example, we created a new datatype with the help of enum. The datatype is Colorhaving four distinct values, Yellow,Blue, Brown and Green. The text that we write inside the declared enum could be anything of your wish; it just provides a custom enumerated list to you.

Modify your main program as shown below:

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(Color.Yellow);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green
}
}

Run the program.

Output: Yellow

Now just typecast Color.Yellow to int, what do we get?

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Yellow);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green
}
}

Output: 0

We see that enum is called as static variables, so an enum can be considered here as static objects. Thereforeother enums in the above example can be declared in the same way as Yellow, like Blue can be declared asColor.Blue. The output in the above two examples we see is 0 when we typecast and Yellow without typecasting, hence we see here that its behaviour is very similar to an array where Yellow has a value 0, similarly Blue has a value 1, Brown: 2, Green: 3.

Therefore, when we do Color.Yellow, it’s like displaying a number 0, so from this can we infer that an enumrepresents a constant number, therefore an enum type is a distinct type having named constants.

Point to remember: An enum represents for a constant number, and an enum type is known as a distinct type having named constants.

Underlying Data type

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Yellow);
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Blue);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

enum Color:byte
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green
}
}

Output

0
1

Note: Each and every code snippet in this article is tried and tested.

The only change we did here is that we specified the type to the underlying enum that we declared. The defaultdatatype for the enum is int, here we have specified the data type as byte and we get the result.

There are more data types that can be specified

for enum like long, ulong, short, ushort, int, uint,byte andsbyte.

Point to remember: We can’t declare char as an underlying data type for enum objects because char stores Unicode characters, but enum objects data type can only be number.

Inheritance in Enum

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Yellow);
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Blue);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

enum Color:byte
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green

}

enum Shades:Color
{

}
}

Output

Compile time error: Type byte, sbyte, short, ushort, int, uint, long, or ulong expected.

We clearly see here enums can’t be derived from any other type except that of mentioned in the error.

Point to remember: enum can’t be derived from any other type except that of type byte, sbyte, short, ushort,int, uint, long, or ulong.

Let’s derive a class from enum, call it class Derived, so our code.

Program.cs

class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Yellow);
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Blue);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

Enum

enum Color:byte
    {
        Yellow,
        Blue,
        Brown,
        Green
    }

Derived.cs

class Derived:Color
    {

}

Compile the code.

Output

Compile time error: ‘Enums.Derived’: cannot derive from sealed type ‘Enums.Color’

Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/931211869/

Point to remember: By default, enum is a sealed class and therefore sticks to all the rules that a sealed class follows, so no class can derive from enum, i.e., a sealed type.

Can System.Enum be a base class toenum?

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
internal enum Color: System.Enum
{
Yellow,
Blue
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
}
}
}

Output

Compile time error: Type byte, sbyte, short, ushort, int, uint, long, or ulong expected.

Point to remember: The enum type is implicitly derived from System.Enum and so we cannot explicitly derive it from System.Enum.

To add more,enum is also derived from three interfaces IComparable, IFormattable and IConvertible.

A. IComparable

Let’s check,

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
internal enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine(Color.Yellow.CompareTo(Color.Blue));
Console.WriteLine(Color.Blue.CompareTo(Color.Green));
Console.WriteLine(Color.Blue.CompareTo(Color.Yellow));
Console.WriteLine(Color.Green.CompareTo(Color.Green));
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Output

Sometimes, we may get into situations where we have large number of enums defined and we want to compare the values of enum to each other to check if they are smaller, larger or equal value to one another.

Since all enums implicitly derive from Enum class that implements the interface IComparable, they all have a methodCompareTo(), that we just used in the above example. The method being nonstatic has to be used through a member. Yellow has value 0, Blue as 1 and Green as 2. In the first statement, when Color.Yellow compared toColor.Blue, value of Yellow is smaller than Blue hence -1 returned, same applied for the second statement when Color.Blue compared to Color.Green. Green has larger value, i.e., 2 than that of Color.Blue having value 1 only. In the third statement, i.e., vice versa of first statement, we get the result of camparisonas 1,becauseBlue is larger than Yellow. In the last statement where Color.Green compares to itself, we undoubtedly get the value 0.

So value -1 means the value is smaller, 1 means value is larger and 0 means equal values for both the enummembers.

Another comparison example is shown below:

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
int myColor = 2;
if(myColor== Color.Green)
{
Console.WriteLine(“my color”);
}
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Output

Compile time error : Operator '==' cannot be applied to operands of type 'int' and 'Enums.Color'

In the above example, we tried to compare an int type to Enum type and resulted in a compile time error. Sinceenum acts as an individual data type so it cannot be directly compared to an int, however, we can typecast the enumtype to int to perform comparison, like in the below example:

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
int myColor = 2;
if(myColor== (int)Color.Green)
{
Console.WriteLine(“my color”);
}
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Output: my color

B. IFormattable

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
internal enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
System.Console.WriteLine(Color.Format(typeof(Color), Color.Green, “X”));
System.Console.WriteLine(Color.Format(typeof(Color), Color.Green, “d”));
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Output

00000002
2

Format is the method derived from IFormatter interface. It’s a static method so can be used directly with theenum class defined as Color. It’sfirst parameter is the type of the enum class, second is the member that has to be formatted and third is the format, i.e., hexadecimal or decimal, like we used in the above example, and we got a positive result output too.

C. IConvertible

using System;

namespace Enums
{
enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
string[] names;
names = Color.GetNames(typeof (Color));
foreach (var name in names)
{
Console.WriteLine(name);
}
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Output

Yellow
Blue
Green

Note: Each and every code snippet in this article is tried and tested.

GetNames is a static method that accepts Type, i.e., instance of type as a parameter and in return gives an array of strings. Like in the above example, we had array of 3 members in our enum, therefore their names are displayed one by one.

Another example is as follows:

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine(Color.Blue.ToString());
Console.WriteLine(Color.Green.ToString());
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Output

Blue
Green

As we see in the above example, we converted an enum type to staring type and got an output too, so, numerous predefined conversion methods can be used to convert enum from one data type to another.

Point to remember: Numerous predefined conversion methods can be used to convert enum from one data type to another.

Duplicity, default values and initialization:

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Yellow);
            Console.WriteLine((byte)Color.Blue);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }

enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green,
Blue
}
}

Output

Compile time error: The type 'Enums.Color' already contains a definition for 'Blue'

In the above example, we just repeated the enum member Blue of Color, and we got a compile time error, hence we now know that an enum cannot contain two members having the same name. By default, if the first value is not specified, the first member takes the value 0 and increments it by one to succeeding members.

Let’s take one more example.

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Yellow);
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Blue);
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Brown);
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Green);

Console.ReadLine();
}
}

enum Color
{
Yellow =2,
Blue,
Brown=9,
Green,

}
}

Output

Surprised! We can always specify the default constant value to any enum member, here we see, we specified value 2to yellow, so as per law of enum, the value of blue will be incremented by one and gets the value 3. We again specified 9 as a default value toBrown, and so its successor Green gets incremented by one and gets that value 10.

Moving on to another example.

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {

}
}

enum Color:byte
{
Yellow =300 ,
Blue,
Brown=9,
Green,
}
}

Output

Compile time error: Constant value '300' cannot be converted to a 'byte'

We just derived ourenum from byte, we know we can do that? We then changed the value of yellow from 2 to300, and we resulted in a compile time error. Since here our underlying data type was byte, so it is as simple as that, that we cannot specify the value to enum members which exceeds the range of underlying data types. The value 300is beyond the range of byte. It is similar to assigning the beyond range value to a byte data type variable.

Another example:

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Yellow);
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Blue);
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Brown);
            Console.WriteLine((int)Color.Green);

Console.ReadLine();
}
}

enum Color
{
Yellow = 2,
Blue,
Brown = 9,
Green = Yellow
}
}

Output

Here we initialized Green to Yellow, and we did not get any error, so we see, more than one enum members can be initialized a same constant value.

Point to remember: More than one enum members can be initialized a same constant value.

Program.cs

using System;
namespace Enums
{
class Program
    {
static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Color.Yellow = 3;
        }
    }

enum Color
{
Yellow = 2,
Blue,
Brown = 9,
Green = Yellow
}
}

Output

Compile time error: The left-hand side of an assignment must be a variable, property or indexer

In the above example, we tried to initialize the enum member out of the scope of defined enum, i.e., in another class, and got a compile time error. We must not forget that an enum acts as a constant, which cannot change its value.

Point to remember: An enum acts as a constant, so its value cannot be changed once initialized.

Readability

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
internal enum Color
{
Yellow,
Blue,
Brown,
Green
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine(CheckColor(Color.Yellow));
Console.WriteLine(CheckColor(Color.Brown));
Console.WriteLine(CheckColor(Color.Green));
Console.ReadLine();
}

public static string CheckColor(Color color)
{
switch (color)
{
case Color.Yellow:
return “Yellow”;
case Color.Blue:
return “Blue”;
case Color.Brown:
return “Brown”;
case Color.Green:
return “Green”;
default:
return “no color”;
}
}
}
}

Output

Yellow
Brown
Green

Here, in the above example, we have declared an enum Color containing various color members.There is a class named program that contains a static method named CheckColor, that has a switch statement checkingcolor on the basis of passed parameter to the method, i.e., Enum Color. In Main method, we try to access thatCheckColor method, passing various parameters. We see that the switch statement in CheckColor method can take any of the datatype passed and in return case statements use name of that type and not the plain intnumber to compare the result. We see that this made our program more readable. So enum plays an important role in making the program more readable and structured, easy to grasp.

Circular Dependency

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
internal enum Color
{
Yellow=Blue,
Blue
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
}
}
}

Output

Compile time error: The evaluation of the constant value for 'Enums.Color.Yellow' involves a circular definition

Like constants, we also cannot have circular dependency in enums. We assigned valueBlue to Yellow, and Blue in turn is incremented by one as a next enum member, this results in a circular dependency of Blue to yellow, and resulted in error, C# is smart enough to catch these kind of tricks.

Diving Deep

Let’s take some complex scenarios:

Lab1

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
enum Color
{

}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{
Color color = (Color) -1;
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}

Note: Each and every code snippet in this article is tried and tested.

Output

Compile time error: 
To cast a negative value, you must enclose the value in parentheses
'Enums.Color' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable'

In the above example, we are casting a negative value to enum, but the compiler says that while casting a negative value, we must keep that in parenthesis. It’s not strange, as C# knows that “-” is also a unary operator, that while using above code may create a confusion for compiler that we are using subtraction or typecasting a negative value. So always use parenthesis while typecasting negative values.

Lab2

Program.cs

using System;

namespace Enums
{
enum Color
{
value__
}

internal class Program
{
private static void Main(string[] args)
{

}
}
}

Output

Compile time error: The enumerator name 'value__' is reserved and cannot be used

We clearly see here that we have value__ as reserved member for the enumerator. C# compiler like this keyword has large number of reserved inbuilt keywords.

Image credit: www.vector.rs

It may keep this reserved keyword to keep track of the enum members internally but not sure.

Summary

Let’s recall all the points that we have to remember.

An enum represents for a constant number, and an enum type is known as a distinct type having named constants.
We can’t declare char as an underlying data type for enum objects because char stores Unicode characters, but enum objects data type can only be number.
An enum can’t be derived from any other type except that of type byte, sbyte, short, ushort, int, uint,long, or ulong.
By default, enum is a sealed class and therefore sticks to all the rules that a sealed class follows, so no class can derive from enum, i.e., a sealed type.
The enum type is implicitly derived from System.Enum and so we cannot explicitly derive it fromSystem.Enum.
enum is also derived from three interfaces IComparable, IFormattable and IConvertible.
Numerous predefined conversion methods can be used to convert enum from one data type to another.
More than one enum members can be initialized a same constant value.
An enum acts as a constant, so its value cannot be changed once initialized.
The enumerator name ‘value__‘ is reserved and cannot be used.

Conclusion

With this article, we completed almost all the scenarios related to enum. We did a lot of hands-on lab to clear our concepts. I hope my readers now know by heart about these basic concepts and will never forget them.

These may also help you in cracking C# interviews.

Keep coding and enjoy reading.

Also, do not forget to rate/comment/like my article if it helped you by any means, this helps me to get motivated and encourages me to write more and more.

Other Series

My other series of articles:

For more informative articles visit my Blog.

For more technical articles you can reach out to CodeTeddy.

For more technical articles, you can reach out to A Practical Approach.

Introduction

Enums (The Definition)

Pre-requisites

Roadmap

A Practical Approach

Program.cs

Underlying Data type

Program.cs

Output

Inheritance in Enum

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Enum

Derived.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

A. IComparable

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

B. IFormattable

Program.cs

Output

C. IConvertible

Output

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

Program.cs

Output

Readability

Program.cs

Output

Circular Dependency

Program.cs

Output

Diving Deep

Lab1

Program.cs

Output

Lab2

Program.cs

Output

Summary

Conclusion

Read more:

Other Series

Read More

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