Enums

[Nikolay Petrov]

Let's say I have an Enum

Enum Items
Item1 = 0
Item2 = 1
Item3 = 2
Item4 = 4
End

and I have a method which accepts this Enum as parameter:

Sub Test(byval Item as Items)
'Code
End Sub

Is it possbile to provide an integer value, corresponding to the Enumeration
index?
Like: Test(3)
Of course I get an error in IDE,if Option Strict is On, so how to convert
this intger to the corresponding Enum?

TIA

 

[ECathell]

One of the reasons for enums is to make code easier to read. If you are
going to pass the value 3 why not just pass the enum that represents that
value? Thats really the purpose of an enum as I understand them.

 

[rawCoder]

simply use CType whenever you want conversion in between integer and your
enum.

HTH
rawCoder

 

[Ray Cassick \(Home\)]

Actually would it not be better to use DirectCast?

I always get confused between the two (DirectCast and Ctype) and when to use
them.

 

[rawCoder]

Yes DirectCast is generally considered faster as it only does CASTING and
not conversion as compared to CType.

Here are couple of links that might explain more
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...tml/vbtchmicrosoftvisualbasicnetinternals.asp

http://groups-beta.google.com/group...up:microsoft.public.dotnet.*#85b28bc12e70c56d

http://groups-beta.google.com/group...up:microsoft.public.dotnet.*#b2ceb63f71df6bb1

HTH
rawCoder

 

[José Joye]

As a side note, I would mention that casting a 5 to your enum will not
generate any exception. If you do not trust the client of your routine (for
such a problem) it could be worth to check the value is valid.

- José