CODEWITHSUNDEEP
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JasonTheLucky
JasonTheLucky

Reputation: 187

C# Enum With Number Value, Reading That Value as String?

I have an enum list with assigned int values, if I understand correct. I need to keep the leading 0 so is there a way to consider this value a string and not an int?

My enums

    public enum CsvRowFormat
    {
        BeginningOfFile = 01,
        School = 02,
        Student = 03,
        EndOfFile = 04
    }

Currently I'm reading out the value like this which I find inefficient

studentRowFormat.AppendFormat("0{0}",(int)TransactionFile.CsvRowFormat.Student).ToString();

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2106

Answers (3)

Servy
Servy

Reputation: 203827

You can use "{0:D2}" as the format string. It will pad the string with leading zeros until it is of length 2.

The enum you are using is just storing the numeric value of what you are assigning, not the string value, so it doesn't retain knowledge of the fact that you supplied a leading zero. Native enum types cannot be backed by a string; they must be backed by an integer value. You can create your own custom type that "looks" like it's a string-backed enum, but using such a solution will be much more effort than just using a more proper format string with your existing integer enum.

Upvotes: 4

Aaron Hawkins
Aaron Hawkins

Reputation: 2691

Unfortunately, there is not a way to consider the value as a string instead of an int. See C# Enum Reference. You could use the formatting options provided by the other answers, or you could write a struct that would allow your code to be much cleaner. Because I don't know your reasons for using an enum, I feel I must point out that structs have some behavioral differences. Here is an example of using a struct for this solution:

public struct CsvRowFormat
{
    public string Value { get; private set; }
    private CsvRowFormat(string value) : this()
    {
        Value = value;
    }

    public static BeginningOfFile { get { return new CsvRowFormat("01"); } }
    public static School { get { return new CsvRowFormat("02"); } }
    public static Student { get { return new CsvRowFormat("03"); } }
    public static EndOfFile { get { return new CsvRowFormat("04"); } }
}

Sample Usage:

studentRowFormat.Append(TransactionFile.CsvRowFormat.Student);

Hope this helps!

Upvotes: 0

MNGwinn
MNGwinn

Reputation: 2394

Int32 has a ToString() that takes a format string. So the easiest way is something like this:

studentRowFormat.Append(((int)TransactionFile.CsvRowFormat.Student).ToString("D2"));

You don't need the leading 0 in the enum declarations.

Upvotes: 3

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