C#•2y ago

Get Enum Description with function

I had a helper function for this at some point, but I lost it.. How can I get the description tag from any enum? Say I have an enum:

public enum MyEnum
{
  [Description("The first")]First,
  [Description("The Second")]Second,
  // ...
}

public enum MyEnum
{
  [Description("The first")]First,
  [Description("The Second")]Second,
  // ...
}

and I wanted to get the description values returned, how would I go about it, regardless of Enum I put into the function? Preferably I would want to call MyEnum.GetDescription(MyEnum.First) or something to return "The First"

9 Replies

Unknown User•2y ago

Message Not Public

Pobiega•2y ago

public static string GetEnumDescription<T>(this T enumValue) where T : Enum
{
    var enumFieldName = enumValue.ToString();
    var field = typeof(T).GetField(enumFieldName);
    if (field is null)
    {
        return "No description";
    }

    var attribute = field.GetCustomAttribute<DescriptionAttribute>();
    return attribute is null ? "No description" : attribute.Description;
}

public static string GetEnumDescription<T>(this T enumValue) where T : Enum
{
    var enumFieldName = enumValue.ToString();
    var field = typeof(T).GetField(enumFieldName);
    if (field is null)
    {
        return "No description";
    }

    var attribute = field.GetCustomAttribute<DescriptionAttribute>();
    return attribute is null ? "No description" : attribute.Description;
}

Console.WriteLine(MyEnum.First.GetEnumDescription());

malkav•2y ago

I get

"FieldInfo does not contain a definition for 'GetCustomAttribute' and no accessible method 'GetCustomAttribute' accepting first argument of type 'FieldInfo' could be found"

Pobiega•2y ago

Weird. I'm using .net 6

malkav•2y ago

Whelp, oops. My IDE just lagged out and forgot to import references. My bad

Pobiega•2y ago

new and improved version

public static string GetDescription<T>(this T enumValue, string defaultDescription = "No description") where T : Enum
{
    var enumFieldName = enumValue.ToString();
    var field = typeof(T).GetField(enumFieldName);
    if (field is null)
    {
        return defaultDescription;
    }

    var attribute = field.GetCustomAttribute<DescriptionAttribute>();
    return attribute is null ? defaultDescription : attribute.Description;
}

public static string GetDescription<T>(this T enumValue, string defaultDescription = "No description") where T : Enum
{
    var enumFieldName = enumValue.ToString();
    var field = typeof(T).GetField(enumFieldName);
    if (field is null)
    {
        return defaultDescription;
    }

    var attribute = field.GetCustomAttribute<DescriptionAttribute>();
    return attribute is null ? defaultDescription : attribute.Description;
}

it lets you specify the "no description" thing, in case its needed :p

malkav•2y ago

Ah fair enough, thanks

Pobiega•2y ago

also GetEnumDescription was too verbose, removed the "Enum" part (as the generic only works for enums anyways)

malkav•2y ago

Fair enough, thanks a bunch!

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Get Enum Description with function