Enum Capabilities

Pan!cKk · 2024-03-19T00:05:26.383Z

Hello there! I was wondering if there is a way to return the string value (either description or name) rather than the enumeration value of an enum. Take this enum for example: public enum SourceType { SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }. When I return this model: public class Source { string Title; SourceType Type; }, I wonder if the value of the property Type can be string, the name of the enum (SourceLink, Channel or Video) or the description, rather than the integer value (1, 2, 3). Has anyone done something similar? Is that even possible?

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:11 AM

Just call

ToString()

ToString()

ToString()

ToString() on the enum

M

MODiX•3/19/24, 12:12 AM

333fred

REPL Result: Success

public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }
Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => e.ToString())

public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }
Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => e.ToString())

public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }
Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => e.ToString())

public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }
Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => e.ToString())

Result: List<string>

[
  "SourceLink",
  "Channel",
  "Video"
]

[
  "SourceLink",
  "Channel",
  "Video"
]

[
  "SourceLink",
  "Channel",
  "Video"
]

[
  "SourceLink",
  "Channel",
  "Video"
]

Compile: 358.326ms | Execution: 78.940ms | React with ❌ to remove this embed.

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:13 AM

However, you probably don't want the type of

Source.Type

Source.Type

Source.Type

Source.Type to be string

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:13 AM

That is when setting the value. I'm wondering if it can be a global config, like in the Startup class of a WebApi. Something automated, without having to use .ToString

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:13 AM

You probably just want to call

ToString()

ToString()

ToString()

ToString() when you display

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

I return that Source model to front (react app), so I want the Type to be sent as the value of ToString, without having to make it string? Or is this whole part unnecessary?

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

Ah, you're looking to change how the type serializes?

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

ChatGPT suggested JsonConverter attribute, but I am not sure about that

3333fred Ah, you're looking to change how the type serializes?

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

yes!

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

How are you sending it? Json?

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

Or some other serialization format?

3333fred How are you sending it? Json?

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:15 AM

Yeah, it's json

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:16 AM

Which json framework? System.Text.Json?

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:17 AM

I believe. I do not specify anything, just return the model from the api. I believe it is System.Text

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:17 AM

I am not really familiar with the details :/

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 12:18 AM

Trying to learn

M

MODiX•3/19/24, 12:19 AM

333fred

REPL Result: Success

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Text.Json.Serialization;

[JsonConverter(typeof(JsonStringEnumConverter<SourceType>))]
public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }

Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => JsonSerializer.Serialize(e))

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Text.Json.Serialization;

[JsonConverter(typeof(JsonStringEnumConverter<SourceType>))]
public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }

Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => JsonSerializer.Serialize(e))

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Text.Json.Serialization;

[JsonConverter(typeof(JsonStringEnumConverter<SourceType>))]
public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }

Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => JsonSerializer.Serialize(e))

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Text.Json.Serialization;

[JsonConverter(typeof(JsonStringEnumConverter<SourceType>))]
public enum SourceType 
{ SourceLink = 1, Channel = 2, Video = 3 }

Enum.GetValues<SourceType>().Select(e => JsonSerializer.Serialize(e))

Result: List<string>

[
  "\"SourceLink\"",
  "\"Channel\"",
  "\"Video\""
]

[
  "\"SourceLink\"",
  "\"Channel\"",
  "\"Video\""
]

[
  "\"SourceLink\"",
  "\"Channel\"",
  "\"Video\""
]

[
  "\"SourceLink\"",
  "\"Channel\"",
  "\"Video\""
]

Compile: 449.685ms | Execution: 53.823ms | React with ❌ to remove this embed.

3

333fred•3/19/24, 12:20 AM

Like so

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 2:37 AM

That did not really do the work for me. But I figured out I can use StringEnumConverter (Netwonsoft.Json) and it handles it well.

I can pass either the integer value or the string representation, and it knows how to parse it (on post request), and the response has the respective string representation.

May I ask if that is a good approach?

builder.Services.AddControllers()
            .AddNewtonsoftJson(options =>
            {
                options.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
                options.SerializerSettings.Converters.Add(new StringEnumConverter());
            });

public enum SourceType
{
    [Description("Source Link")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Source Link")]
    SourceLink = 1,
    [Description("Channel")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Channel")]
    Channel = 2,
    [Description("Video")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Video")]
    Video = 3
}

builder.Services.AddControllers()
            .AddNewtonsoftJson(options =>
            {
                options.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
                options.SerializerSettings.Converters.Add(new StringEnumConverter());
            });

public enum SourceType
{
    [Description("Source Link")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Source Link")]
    SourceLink = 1,
    [Description("Channel")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Channel")]
    Channel = 2,
    [Description("Video")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Video")]
    Video = 3
}

builder.Services.AddControllers()
            .AddNewtonsoftJson(options =>
            {
                options.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
                options.SerializerSettings.Converters.Add(new StringEnumConverter());
            });

public enum SourceType
{
    [Description("Source Link")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Source Link")]
    SourceLink = 1,
    [Description("Channel")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Channel")]
    Channel = 2,
    [Description("Video")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Video")]
    Video = 3
}

builder.Services.AddControllers()
            .AddNewtonsoftJson(options =>
            {
                options.SerializerSettings.ReferenceLoopHandling = ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore;
                options.SerializerSettings.Converters.Add(new StringEnumConverter());
            });

public enum SourceType
{
    [Description("Source Link")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Source Link")]
    SourceLink = 1,
    [Description("Channel")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Channel")]
    Channel = 2,
    [Description("Video")]
    [EnumMember(Value = "Video")]
    Video = 3
}

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 2:38 AM

according to chatGPT, using StringEnumConverter, the cons are:

Cons:

Increased Payload Size: String representations generally occupy more space in JSON payloads compared to integer representations, potentially increasing network bandwidth usage and storage requirements.

Performance Overhead: Converting between enum values and strings requires additional processing compared to direct integer serialization/deserialization, which may have a slight impact on performance, especially in high-throughput scenarios.

Parsing Complexity: If using custom string representations, it might introduce parsing complexities, especially when dealing with edge cases or legacy data.

Compatibility with Existing Clients: If the consumers of your JSON data are expecting integer representations of enum values, switching to string representations might require updates on their end.

Loss of Type Safety: Using string representations loses some type safety compared to using integer values, as there's no compile-time check to ensure that the provided string corresponds to a valid enum value.

Cons:

Increased Payload Size: String representations generally occupy more space in JSON payloads compared to integer representations, potentially increasing network bandwidth usage and storage requirements.

Performance Overhead: Converting between enum values and strings requires additional processing compared to direct integer serialization/deserialization, which may have a slight impact on performance, especially in high-throughput scenarios.

Parsing Complexity: If using custom string representations, it might introduce parsing complexities, especially when dealing with edge cases or legacy data.

Compatibility with Existing Clients: If the consumers of your JSON data are expecting integer representations of enum values, switching to string representations might require updates on their end.

Loss of Type Safety: Using string representations loses some type safety compared to using integer values, as there's no compile-time check to ensure that the provided string corresponds to a valid enum value.

Cons:

Increased Payload Size: String representations generally occupy more space in JSON payloads compared to integer representations, potentially increasing network bandwidth usage and storage requirements.

Performance Overhead: Converting between enum values and strings requires additional processing compared to direct integer serialization/deserialization, which may have a slight impact on performance, especially in high-throughput scenarios.

Parsing Complexity: If using custom string representations, it might introduce parsing complexities, especially when dealing with edge cases or legacy data.

Compatibility with Existing Clients: If the consumers of your JSON data are expecting integer representations of enum values, switching to string representations might require updates on their end.

Loss of Type Safety: Using string representations loses some type safety compared to using integer values, as there's no compile-time check to ensure that the provided string corresponds to a valid enum value.

Cons:

Increased Payload Size: String representations generally occupy more space in JSON payloads compared to integer representations, potentially increasing network bandwidth usage and storage requirements.

Performance Overhead: Converting between enum values and strings requires additional processing compared to direct integer serialization/deserialization, which may have a slight impact on performance, especially in high-throughput scenarios.

Parsing Complexity: If using custom string representations, it might introduce parsing complexities, especially when dealing with edge cases or legacy data.

Compatibility with Existing Clients: If the consumers of your JSON data are expecting integer representations of enum values, switching to string representations might require updates on their end.

Loss of Type Safety: Using string representations loses some type safety compared to using integer values, as there's no compile-time check to ensure that the provided string corresponds to a valid enum value.

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 2:39 AM

I'm not sure if that is a huge issue for not so huge application ?

P

Pan!cKkOP•3/19/24, 2:40 AM

@333fred sorry for the ping, but I would appreciate your opinion!

3

333fred•3/19/24, 2:47 AM

Hard to say whether your application will be hurt by the perf or not

PPan!cKk That did not really do the work for me. But I figured out I can use StringEnumCo...

3

333fred•3/19/24, 2:48 AM