Using Enum values as String literals
JavaStringEnumsJava Problem Overview
What is the best way to use the values stored in an Enum as String literals? For example:
public enum Modes {
some-really-long-string,
mode1,
mode2,
mode3
}
Then later I could use Mode.mode1 to return its string representation as mode1. Without having to keep calling Mode.mode1.toString().
Java Solutions
Solution 1 - Java
You can't. I think you have FOUR options here. All four offer a solution but with a slightly different approach...
Option One: use the built-in name() on an enum. This is perfectly fine if you don't need any special naming format.
String name = Modes.mode1.name(); // Returns the name of this enum constant, exactly as declared in its enum declaration.
Option Two: add overriding properties to your enums if you want more control
public enum Modes {
mode1 ("Fancy Mode 1"),
mode2 ("Fancy Mode 2"),
mode3 ("Fancy Mode 3");
private final String name;
private Modes(String s) {
name = s;
}
public boolean equalsName(String otherName) {
// (otherName == null) check is not needed because name.equals(null) returns false
return name.equals(otherName);
}
public String toString() {
return this.name;
}
}
Option Three: use static finals instead of enums:
public final class Modes {
public static final String MODE_1 = "Fancy Mode 1";
public static final String MODE_2 = "Fancy Mode 2";
public static final String MODE_3 = "Fancy Mode 3";
private Modes() { }
}
Option Four: interfaces have every field public, static and final:
public interface Modes {
String MODE_1 = "Fancy Mode 1";
String MODE_2 = "Fancy Mode 2";
String MODE_3 = "Fancy Mode 3";
}
Solution 2 - Java
Every enum has both a name() and a valueOf(String) method. The former returns the string name of the enum, and the latter gives the enum value whose name is the string. Is this like what you're looking for?
String name = Modes.mode1.name();
Modes mode = Modes.valueOf(name);
There's also a static valueOf(Class, String) on Enum itself, so you could also use:
Modes mode = Enum.valueOf(Modes.class, name);
Solution 3 - Java
You could override the toString() method for each enum value.
Example:
public enum Country {
DE {
@Override
public String toString() {
return "Germany";
}
},
IT {
@Override
public String toString() {
return "Italy";
}
},
US {
@Override
public String toString() {
return "United States";
}
}
}
Usage:
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(Country.DE); // Germany
System.out.println(Country.IT); // Italy
System.out.println(Country.US); // United States
}
Solution 4 - Java
As Benny Neugebauer mentions, you could overwrite the toString(). However instead overwriting the toString for each enum field I like more something like this:
public enum Country{
SPAIN("España"),
ITALY("Italia"),
PORTUGAL("Portugal");
private String value;
Country(final String value) {
this.value = value;
}
public String getValue() {
return value;
}
@Override
public String toString() {
return this.getValue();
}
}
You could also add a static method to retrieve all the fields, to print them all, etc. Simply call getValue to obtain the string associated to each Enum item
Solution 5 - Java
mode1.name() or String.valueOf(mode1). It doesn't get better than that, I'm afraid
Solution 6 - Java
public enum Modes {
MODE1("Mode1"),
MODE2("Mode2"),
MODE3("Mode3");
private String value;
public String getValue() {
return value;
}
private Modes(String value) {
this.value = value;
}
}
you can make a call like below wherever you want to get the value as a string from the enum.
Modes.MODE1.getvalue();
This will return "Mode1" as a String.
Solution 7 - Java
For my enums I don't really like to think of them being allocated with 1 String each. This is how I implement a toString() method on enums.
enum Animal
{
DOG, CAT, BIRD;
public String toString(){
switch (this) {
case DOG: return "Dog";
case CAT: return "Cat";
case BIRD: return "Bird";
}
return null;
}
}
Solution 8 - Java
You can use Mode.mode1.name() however you often don't need to do this.
Mode mode =
System.out.println("The mode is "+mode);
Solution 9 - Java
As far as I know, the only way to get the name would be
Mode.mode1.name();
If you really need it this way, however, you could do:
public enum Modes {
mode1 ("Mode1"),
mode2 ("Mode2"),
mode3 ("Mode3");
private String name;
private Modes(String s) {
name = s;
}
}
Solution 10 - Java
You can simply use:
""+ Modes.mode1
Solution 11 - Java
my solution for your problem!
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
public enum MapEnumSample {
Mustang("One of the fastest cars in the world!"),
Mercedes("One of the most beautiful cars in the world!"),
Ferrari("Ferrari or Mercedes, which one is the best?");
private final String description;
private static Map<String, String> enumMap;
private MapEnumSample(String description) {
this.description = description;
}
public String getEnumValue() {
return description;
}
public static String getEnumKey(String name) {
if (enumMap == null) {
initializeMap();
}
return enumMap.get(name);
}
private static Map<String, String> initializeMap() {
enumMap = new HashMap<String, String>();
for (MapEnumSample access : MapEnumSample.values()) {
enumMap.put(access.getEnumValue(), access.toString());
}
return enumMap;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
// getting value from Description
System.out.println(MapEnumSample.getEnumKey("One of the fastest cars in the world!"));
// getting value from Constant
System.out.println(MapEnumSample.Mustang.getEnumValue());
System.out.println(MapEnumSample.getEnumKey("One of the most beautiful cars in the world!"));
System.out.println(MapEnumSample.Mercedes.getEnumValue());
// doesnt exist in Enum
System.out.println("Mustang or Mercedes, which one is the best?");
System.out.println(MapEnumSample.getEnumKey("Mustang or Mercedes, which one is the best?") == null ? "I don't know!" : "I believe that "
+ MapEnumSample.getEnumKey("Ferrari or Mustang, which one is the best?") + " is the best!.");
// exists in Enum
System.out.println("Ferrari or Mercedes, wich one is the best?");
System.out.println(MapEnumSample.getEnumKey("Ferrari or Mercedes, which one is the best?") == null ? "I don't know!" : "I believe that "
+ MapEnumSample.getEnumKey("Ferrari or Mercedes, which one is the best?") + " is the best!");
}
}
Solution 12 - Java
Enum is just a little bit special class. Enums can store additional fields, implement methods etc. For example
public enum Modes {
mode1('a'),
mode2('b'),
mode3('c'),
;
char c;
private Modes(char c) {
this.c = c;
}
public char character() {
return c;
}
}
Now you can say:
System.out.println(Modes.mode1.character())
and see output:
a
Solution 13 - Java
public enum Environment
{
PROD("https://prod.domain.com:1088/"),
SIT("https://sit.domain.com:2019/"),
CIT("https://cit.domain.com:8080/"),
DEV("https://dev.domain.com:21323/");
private String url;
Environment(String envUrl) {
this.url = envUrl;
}
public String getUrl() {
return url;
}
}
String prodUrl = Environment.PROD.getUrl();
It will print:
https://prod.domain.com:1088/
This design for enum string constants works in most of the cases.
Solution 14 - Java
package com.common.test;
public enum Days {
monday(1,"Monday"),tuesday(2,"Tuesday"),wednesday(3,"Wednesday"),
thrusday(4,"Thrusday"),friday(5,"Friday"),saturday(6,"Saturday"),sunday(7,"Sunday");
private int id;
private String desc;
Days(int id,String desc){
this.id=id;
this.desc=desc;
}
public static String getDay(int id){
for (Days day : Days.values()) {
if (day.getId() == id) {
return day.getDesc();
}
}
return null;
}
public int getId() {
return id;
}
public void setId(int id) {
this.id = id;
}
public String getDesc() {
return desc;
}
public void setDesc(String desc) {
this.desc = desc;
}
};
Solution 15 - Java
This method should work with any enum:
public enum MyEnum {
VALUE1,
VALUE2,
VALUE3;
public int getValue() {
return this.ordinal();
}
public static DataType forValue(int value) {
return values()[value];
}
public String toString() {
return forValue(getValue()).name();
}
}
Solution 16 - Java
i found this one is more easy for preventing type error:
public enum Modes {
some-really-long-string,
mode1,
mode2,
mode3;
String str;
Modes(){
this.str = super.name();
}
@Override
@NonNull
public String toString() {
return str;
}
however - this may work when you need to use a String on a log/println or whenever java compiles the toString() method automatically, but on a code line like this ->
// sample method that require (string,value)
intent.putExtra(Modes.mode1 ,shareElement.getMode()); // java error
// first argument enum does not return value
instead as mentioned above you will still have to extend the enum and use .name() in those cases like this:
intent.putExtra(Modes.mode1.name() ,shareElement.getMode());
Solution 17 - Java
after many tries I have come with this solution
public static enum Operation {
Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division,;
public String getUserFriendlyString() {
if (this==Addition) {
return " + ";
} else if (this==Subtraction) {
return " - ";
} else if (this==Multiplication) {
return " * ";
} else if (this==Division) {
return " / ";
}
return "undefined";
}
}
Solution 18 - Java
You can try this:
public enum Modes {
some-really-long-string,
mode1,
mode2,
mode3;
public String toString(){
switch(this) {
case some-really-long-string:
return "some-really-long-string";
case mode2:
return "mode2";
default: return "undefined";
}
}
}
Solution 19 - Java
use mode1.name() or String.valueOf(Modes.mode1)