Get enum from enum attribute

I've got

public enum Als 
{
    [StringValue("Beantwoord")] Beantwoord = 0,
    [StringValue("Niet beantwoord")] NietBeantwoord = 1,
    [StringValue("Geselecteerd")] Geselecteerd = 2,
    [StringValue("Niet geselecteerd")] NietGeselecteerd = 3,
}

with

public class StringValueAttribute : Attribute
{
    private string _value;

    public StringValueAttribute(string value)
    {
        _value = value;
    }

    public string Value
    {
        get { return _value; }
    }
}

And I would like to put the value from the item I selected of a combobox into a int:

int i = (int)(Als)Enum.Parse(typeof(Als), (string)cboAls.SelectedValue); //<- WRONG

开发者_StackOverflow社区

Is this possible, and if so, how? (the StringValue matches the value selected from the combobox).

---

Here's a helper method that should point you in the right direction.

protected Als GetEnumByStringValueAttribute(string value)
{
    Type enumType = typeof(Als);
    foreach (Enum val in Enum.GetValues(enumType))
    {
        FieldInfo fi = enumType.GetField(val.ToString());
        StringValueAttribute[] attributes = (StringValueAttribute[])fi.GetCustomAttributes(
            typeof(StringValueAttribute), false);
        StringValueAttribute attr = attributes[0];
        if (attr.Value == value)
        {
            return (Als)val;
        }
    }
    throw new ArgumentException("The value '" + value + "' is not supported.");
}

And to call it, just do the following:

Als result = this.GetEnumByStringValueAttribute<Als>(ComboBox.SelectedValue);

This probably isn't the best solution though as it's tied to Als and you'll probably want to make this code re-usable. What you'll probably want to strip out the code from my solution to return you the attribute value and then just use Enum.Parse as you are doing in your question.

---

I'm using the DescriptionAttribute from Microsoft and the following extension method:

public static string GetDescription(this Enum value)
{
    if (value == null)
    {
        throw new ArgumentNullException("value");
    }

    string description = value.ToString();
    FieldInfo fieldInfo = value.GetType().GetField(description);
    DescriptionAttribute[] attributes =
       (DescriptionAttribute[])
     fieldInfo.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(DescriptionAttribute), false);

    if (attributes != null && attributes.Length > 0)
    {
        description = attributes[0].Description;
    }
    return description;
}

---

Here are a couple extension methods that I use for this exact purpose, I've rewritten these to use your StringValueAttribute, but like Oliver I use the DescriptionAttribute in my code.

    public static T FromEnumStringValue<T>(this string description) where T : struct {
        Debug.Assert(typeof(T).IsEnum);

        return (T)typeof(T)
            .GetFields()
            .First(f => f.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(StringValueAttribute), false)
                         .Cast<StringValueAttribute>()
                         .Any(a => a.Value.Equals(description, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
            )
            .GetValue(null);
    }

This can be made slightly more simple in .NET 4.5:

    public static T FromEnumStringValue<T>(this string description) where T : struct {
        Debug.Assert(typeof(T).IsEnum);

        return (T)typeof(T)
            .GetFields()
            .First(f => f.GetCustomAttributes<StringValueAttribute>()
                         .Any(a => a.Value.Equals(description, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
            )
            .GetValue(null);
    }

And to call it, just do the following:

Als result = ComboBox.SelectedValue.FromEnumStringValue<Als>();

Conversely, here's a function to get the string from an enum value:

    public static string StringValue(this Enum enumItem) {
        return enumItem
            .GetType()
            .GetField(enumItem.ToString())
            .GetCustomAttributes<StringValueAttribute>()
            .Select(a => a.Value)
            .FirstOrDefault() ?? enumItem.ToString();
    }

And to call it:

string description = Als.NietBeantwoord.StringValue()

---

Coming here from duplicate links of this highly upvoted question and answer, here is a method that works with C# 7.3's new Enum type constraint. Note that you also need to specify that it is also a struct so that you can make it the nullable TEnum? or else you will get an error.

public static TEnum? GetEnumFromDescription<TEnum>(string description)
    where TEnum : struct, Enum 
{
    var comparison = StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase;
    foreach (var field in typeof(TEnum).GetFields())
    {
        var attribute = Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(field, typeof(DescriptionAttribute)) as DescriptionAttribute;
        if (attribute != null)
        {
            if (string.Compare(attribute.Description, description, comparison) == 0)
                return (TEnum)field.GetValue(null);
        }
        if (string.Compare(field.Name, description, comparison) == 0)
            return (TEnum)field.GetValue(null);
    }
    return null;
}

---

Not sure if I am missing something here, can you not do this,

Als temp = (Als)combo1.SelectedItem;
int t = (int)temp;

---

To parse a string value based on attribute values applied to enum members I'd recommend you use my Enums.NET open source library.

For a custom attribute like the StringValueAttribute you would do this.

Register and store a custom EnumFormat for StringValueAttribute.Value.

Format = Enums.RegisterCustomEnumFormat(m => m.Attributes.Get<StringValueAttribute>()?.Value);

Then use the custom EnumFormat.

Als result = Enums.Parse<Als>("Niet beantwoord", Format); // result == Als.NietBeantwoord

If you were instead using a built-in attribute such as the DescriptionAttribute you could just do this.

Als result = Enums.Parse<Als>("Niet beantwoord", EnumFormat.Description);

In case you're interested, this is how you'd get the string value associated with an enum value.

string value = Als.NietBeantwoord.AsString(Format); // value == "Niet beantwoord"

---

I made a more generic solution.
You can use it with any attribute and even with other types than string.

using System;

namespace EnumTest
{
    public static class EnumExtensions
    {
        #region Get enum from Attribute
        /// <summary>
        /// Searches the enum element which has a [attributeType] attribute with a attributePropertyName equivalent to searchValue.
        /// Throws exception, if there is no enum element found which has a [attributeType] attribute with a attributePropertyName equivalent to searchValue.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="attributeType">the type of the attribute. e.g. typeof(System.ComponentModel.DescriptionAttribute)</param>
        /// <param name="attributePropertyName">the property of the attribute to search. At DescriptionAttribute, this is "Description"</param>
        /// <param name="searchValue">the value to search</param>
        public static TEnum FromAttributeValueToEnum<TEnum>(Type attributeType, string attributePropertyName, object searchValue)
        where TEnum : struct, Enum
        {
            TEnum? result = FromAttributeValueToNullableEnum<TEnum>(attributeType, attributePropertyName, searchValue);

            if (result.HasValue)
            {
                return result.Value;
            }

            Type enumType = typeof(TEnum);
            throw new ArgumentException($"The enum type {enumType.FullName} has no element with a {attributeType.FullName} with {attributePropertyName} property equivalent to '{searchValue}'");
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Searches the enum element which has a [attributeType] attribute with a attributePropertyName equivalent to searchValue.
        /// Returns fallBackValue, if there is no enum element found which has a [attributeType] attribute with a attributePropertyName equivalent to searchValue.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="attributeType">the type of the attribute. e.g. typeof(System.ComponentModel.DescriptionAttribute)</param>
        /// <param name="attributePropertyName">the property of the attribute to search. At DescriptionAttribute, this is "Description"</param>
        /// <param name="searchValue">the value to search</param> 
        public static TEnum FromAttributeValueToEnum<TEnum>(Type attributeType, string attributePropertyName, object searchValue, TEnum fallBackValue)
        where TEnum : struct, Enum
        {
            TEnum? result = FromAttributeValueToNullableEnum<TEnum>(attributeType, attributePropertyName, searchValue);

            if (result.HasValue)
            {
                return result.Value;
            }

            return fallBackValue;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Searches the enum element which has a [attributeType] attribute with a attributePropertyName equivalent to searchValue.
        /// Returns null, if there is no enum element found which has a [attributeType] attribute with a attributePropertyName equivalent to searchValue.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="attributeType">the type of the attribute. e.g. typeof(System.ComponentModel.DescriptionAttribute)</param>
        /// <param name="attributePropertyName">the property of the attribute to search. At DescriptionAttribute, this is "Description"</param>
        /// <param name="searchValue">the value to search</param> 
        public static TEnum? FromAttributeValueToNullableEnum<TEnum>(Type attributeType, string attributePropertyName, object searchValue)
        where TEnum : struct, Enum
        {
            Type enumType = typeof(TEnum);
            if (!enumType.IsEnum)
            {
                throw new ArgumentException($"The type {enumType.FullName} is no Enum!");
            }

            if (attributeType == null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(attributeType));
            }

            if (!typeof(Attribute).IsAssignableFrom(attributeType))
            {
                throw new ArgumentException($"The type {attributeType.FullName} is no Attribute!", nameof(attributeType));
            }

            var propertyInfoAttributePropertyName = attributeType.GetProperty(attributePropertyName);

            if (propertyInfoAttributePropertyName == null)
            {
                throw new ArgumentException($"The type {attributeType.FullName} has no (public) property with name {attributePropertyName}", nameof(attributeType));
            }

            foreach (var field in enumType.GetFields())
            {
                if (field.IsSpecialName)
                {
                    continue;
                }

                var attributes = Attribute.GetCustomAttributes(field, attributeType);
                if (attributes.Length == 0)
                {
                    continue;
                }

                foreach (var attribute in attributes)
                {
                    object attributePropertyValue = propertyInfoAttributePropertyName.GetValue(attribute);

                    if (attributePropertyValue == null)
                    {
                        continue;
                    }

                    if (attributePropertyValue.Equals(searchValue))
                    {
                        return (TEnum)field.GetValue(null);
                    }
                }
            }

            return null;
        }
        #endregion
    }
}

@RubenHerman's initial post:

Als Beantwoord = EnumExtensions.FromAttributeValueToEnum<Als>(typeof(StringValueAttribute), nameof(StringValueAttribute.Value), "Beantwoord");

Advanced sample:

public class IntValueAttribute : Attribute
{
    public IntValueAttribute(int value)
    {
        Value = value;
    }

    public int Value { get; private set; }
}

public enum EnumSample
{
    [Description("Eins")]
    [IntValue(1)]
    One,

    [Description("Zwei")]
    [IntValue(2)]
    Two,

    [Description("Drei")]
    [IntValue(3)]
    Three
}

EnumSample one = EnumExtensions.FromAttributeValueToEnum<EnumSample>(typeof(DescriptionAttribute), nameof(DescriptionAttribute.Description), "Eins");
EnumSample two = EnumExtensions.FromAttributeValueToEnum<EnumSample>(typeof(IntValueAttribute), nameof(IntValueAttribute.Value), 2);