Define String ENUM in VB.Net

Question

I am using Window Application for my project. There is situation where i need to define string enum and using it in my project.

i.e.

Dim PersonalInfo         


        

Answer 1

If all you want to do is display the enums in a list or combo, you can use tagging such as

Private Enum MyEnum
    Select_an_option___
    __ACCOUNTS__
    Invoices0
    Review_Invoice
    __MEETINGS__
    Scheduled_Meetings0
    Open_Meeting
    Cancelled_Meetings0
    Current_Meetings0
End Enum

Then pull the MyEnum into a string and use Replace (or Regex) to replace the tags: "___" with "...", "__" with "**", "_" with " ", and remove trailing numbers. Then repack it up into an array and dump it into a combobox which will look like:

Select an option...
**ACCOUNTS**
Invoices
Review Invoice
**MEETINGS**
Scheduled Meetings
Open Meeting
Cancelled Meetings
Current Meetings

(You can use the numbers to, say, disable a text field for inputting an invoice number or meeting room. In the example, Review Invoice and Open Meeting might be expecting additional input so a text box might be enabled for those selections.)

When you parse the selected combo item, the enumeration will work as expected but you only really need to add a single line of code - the text replacement - to get the combo to look as you wish.

(The explanation is about 10 times as involved as the actual solution!)