Enumerations...displaying their content

[schnautzr]

Hi...I came here because I had problems posting at the C# Corner. Hopefully this forum will actually post my question instead of deleting it once I hit post....

I'm working on homework. Yes, I have given it quite some effort, from experimenting to researching. I've even looked everywhere for a C# API documentation, but can't find one. What I'm attempting to do would be so much easier to do with an array, but I have to use an enumeration. In Java, QBasic, HTML, and Visual Basic, I never saw an enumeration, so seeing this introduced in C# (which I'm gradually learning) is throwing me for a loop.

Just to prove I at least know what I'm trying to do and that I'm not entirely stupid, I'll explain how I would code it if it were an array of objects of type Carpet(String type, int priceTimes100). The casing may not be correct, but I'm used to Java casing:

String[,] carpet = new string[8,1];
carpet[0,0] = "Berber";
carpet[0,1] = 810;
carpet[1,0] = "Cable";
carpet[1,1] = 1827;
//...etc

for (int i = 0; i < carpet.length; i++)
[INDENT]Console.Write((i+1) + ": " + carpet[i, 0] + " - $" + ((double)carpet[i,1] / 100));[/INDENT]

Here's the enumeration I'm working with. The prices will be cast to doubles and divided by 100. I've tried everything I can think of to retrieve this data in a for loop, and nothing works.

enum Carpet { Berber = 810, Cable = 1827, Frieze = 747, Indoor_Outdoor = 810, Plush = 1251, Saxony = 1201, Shag = 1205, Sisal = 3801, Textured = 1827 }

I would appreciate any help I can get. Thanks!

[Rashakil Fol]

What do you mean 'retrieve' the data? You have the data. If you want to use the data, put it in an array and iterate over it.

[schnautzr]

I'd love to use an array instead, but the guidelines specifically say to use an enumeration. So basically I need a method for retrieving the variable name of the xth integer in the enumeration...sorry if I wasn't clear to begin with.

[sknake]

Use

Enum.GetValues(Carpet)[position];

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.enum.getvalues.aspx

That will provide you with a list of enumeration members, ordinal position, and you can get the integer value.

[schnautzr]

Thanks. I tried what you suggested, and I'm coming up with build errors yet.

10   enum Carpet { Berber = 810, Cable = 1827, Frieze = 747, Indoor_Outdoor = 810, Plush = 1251, Saxony = 
11                1201, Shag = 1205, Sisal = 3801, Textured = 1827 }
12        
13        static void Main(string[] args)
14        {
15            for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
16                    Console.Write(i + ": " + Enum.GetValues(Carpet)[i]);
17            int input;
18            int.TryParse(Console.ReadLine(), out input);
19
20            Console.Write("\nThe " + Enum.GetValues(Carpet)[input] + " carpet costs " +
21                    (double)(Carpet.Enum.GetValues(Carpet)[input]) + " per square foot.");
22            Console.Read();
23        }

The errors are as follows:
1: 'Carpet' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable', line 16
2: The best overloaded method match for System.Enum.GetValues(System.Type)' has some invalid arguments, line 16
3: Argument '1': cannot convert from 'Carpet' to 'System.Type', line 16
4: 'Carpet' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable', line 16
5: The best overloaded method match for System.Enum.GetValues(System.Type)' has some invalid arguments, line 16
6: Argument '1': cannot convert from 'Carpet' to 'System.Type', line 16
7: 'Carpet' does not contain a definition for 'Enum', line 21
8: 'Carpet' is a 'type' but is used like a 'variable'

Got another idea? Or maybe I misimplemented your idea?

[sknake]

First -- mark your code with the C# tag

use typeof(EnumType) if you're expecting a single enum type, or carpet.GetType() if you plan on using different enums

Enum.GetValues(typeof(Carpet))[i]);

[schnautzr]

Thanks so much for your help! Using Enum.GetNames(typeof(Carpet)), I was able to store the names in a string, and it appears the names are sorted numerically by their stored integer value. I think I can take the rest from here.

String[] names = Enum.GetNames(typeof(Carpet));

            for (int i = 0; i <= names.Length - 1; i++)
            {
                Console.Write(names[i] + "\n");
            }