How do you pass multiple enum values in C#?

Question

Sometimes when reading others\' C# code I see a method that will accept multiple enum values in a single parameter. I always thought it was kind of neat, but never looked in

Answer 1

[Flags]
    public enum DaysOfWeek{


        Sunday = 1 << 0,
        Monday = 1 << 1,
        Tuesday = 1 << 2,
        Wednesday = 1 << 3,
        Thursday = 1 << 4,
        Friday =  1 << 5,
        Saturday =  1 << 6
    }

call the method in this format

MethodName(DaysOfWeek.Tuesday | DaysOfWeek.Thursday);

Implement a EnumToArray method to get the options passed

private static void AddEntryToList(DaysOfWeek days, DaysOfWeek match, List<string> dayList, string entryText) {
            if ((days& match) != 0) {
                dayList.Add(entryText);
            }
        }

        internal static string[] EnumToArray(DaysOfWeek days) {
            List<string> verbList = new List<string>();

            AddEntryToList(days, HttpVerbs.Sunday, dayList, "Sunday");
            AddEntryToList(days, HttpVerbs.Monday , dayList, "Monday ");
            ...

            return dayList.ToArray();
        }

Answer 2

[Flags]
public enum DaysOfWeek
{
  Mon = 1,
  Tue = 2,
  Wed = 4,
  Thur = 8,
  Fri = 16,
  Sat = 32,
  Sun = 64
}

You have to specify the numbers, and increment them like this because it is storing the values in a bitwise fashion.

Then just define your method to take this enum

public void DoSomething(DaysOfWeek day)
{
  ...
}

and to call it do something like

DoSomething(DaysOfWeek.Mon | DaysOfWeek.Tue) // Both Monday and Tuesday

To check if one of the enum values was included check them using bitwise operations like

public void DoSomething(DaysOfWeek day)
{
  if ((day & DaysOfWeek.Mon) == DaysOfWeek.Mon) // Does a bitwise and then compares it to Mondays enum value
  {
    // Monday was passed in
  }
}

Answer 3

Something of this nature should show what you are looking for:

[Flags]
public enum SomeName
{
    Name1,
    Name2
}

public class SomeClass()
{
    public void SomeMethod(SomeName enumInput)
    {
        ...
    }
}

Answer 4

When you define the enum, just attribute it with [Flags], set values to powers of two, and it will work this way.

Nothing else changes, other than passing multiple values into a function.

For example:

[Flags]
enum DaysOfWeek
{
   Sunday = 1,
   Monday = 2,
   Tuesday = 4,
   Wednesday = 8,
   Thursday = 16,
   Friday = 32,
   Saturday = 64
}

public void RunOnDays(DaysOfWeek days)
{
   bool isTuesdaySet = (days & DaysOfWeek.Tuesday) == DaysOfWeek.Tuesday;

   if (isTuesdaySet)
      //...
   // Do your work here..
}

public void CallMethodWithTuesdayAndThursday()
{
    this.RunOnDays(DaysOfWeek.Tuesday | DaysOfWeek.Thursday);
}

For more details, see MSDN's documentation on Enumeration Types.

---

Edit in response to additions to question.

You won't be able to use that enum as is, unless you wanted to do something like pass it as an array/collection/params array. That would let you pass multiple values. The flags syntax requires the Enum to be specified as flags (or to bastardize the language in a way that's its not designed).

Answer 5

I think the more elegant solution is to use HasFlag():

    [Flags]
    public enum DaysOfWeek
    {
        Sunday = 1,
        Monday = 2,
        Tuesday = 4,
        Wednesday = 8,
        Thursday = 16,
        Friday = 32,
        Saturday = 64
    }

    public void RunOnDays(DaysOfWeek days)
    {
        bool isTuesdaySet = days.HasFlag(DaysOfWeek.Tuesday);

        if (isTuesdaySet)
        {
            //...
        }
    }

    public void CallMethodWithTuesdayAndThursday()
    {
        RunOnDays(DaysOfWeek.Tuesday | DaysOfWeek.Thursday);
    }

Answer 6

Mark your enum with the [Flags] attribute. Also ensure that all of your values are mutually exclusive (two values can't add up to equal another) like 1,2,4,8,16,32,64 in your case

[Flags]
public enum DayOfWeek
{ 
Sunday = 1,   
Monday = 2,   
Tuesday = 4,   
Wednesday = 8,   
Thursday = 16,   
Friday = 32,    
Saturday = 64
}

When you have a method that accepts a DayOfWeek enum use the bitwise or operator (|) to use multiple members together. For example:

MyMethod(DayOfWeek.Sunday|DayOfWeek.Tuesday|DayOfWeek.Friday)

To check if the parameter contains a specific member, use the bitwise and operator (&) with the member you are checking for.

if(arg & DayOfWeek.Sunday == DayOfWeek.Sunday)
Console.WriteLine("Contains Sunday");