What does the [Flags] Enum Attribute mean in C#?

Question

From time to time I see an enum like the following:

[Flags]
public enum Options 
{
    None    = 0,
    Option1 = 1,
    Option2 = 2,
    Option3 = 4,
    Op         


        

Answer 1

• Flags are used when an enumerable value represents a collection of enum members.

• here we use bitwise operators, | and &

• Example

               [Flags]
               public enum Sides { Left=0, Right=1, Top=2, Bottom=3 }
  
               Sides leftRight = Sides.Left | Sides.Right;
               Console.WriteLine (leftRight);//Left, Right
  
               string stringValue = leftRight.ToString();
               Console.WriteLine (stringValue);//Left, Right
  
               Sides s = Sides.Left;
               s |= Sides.Right;
               Console.WriteLine (s);//Left, Right
  
               s ^= Sides.Right; // Toggles Sides.Right
               Console.WriteLine (s); //Left