enum types

Having probs getting to grips with enum types, specifically how to output an enum. When I write to disk or screen an enum type, it outputs the index number, not the name. I have tried making my methods return enum types and int, neither works.

What is the trick???

Code:

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enum day { monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday, sunday };

day today = monday;

char *getCharDay(day whichDay)
{
        switch (whichDay)
        {
        case 0:
                return "monday";
        case 1:
                return "tuesday";
        case 2:
                return "wednesday";
        case 3:
                return "thursday";
        case 4:
                return "friday";
        case 5:
                return "saturday";
        case 6:
                return "sunday";
        default:
                return NULL;
        }
}

cout << getCharDay(today);

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Not sure if I fully understood your question, but that would be one way.

Try something like this. You'll notice we use array of pointers to aid us in the example. Perhaps this is what you were asking.

Code:

---

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

/* Enumerated types */
enum WORKDAYS { Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday };

/* Array of character strings */
const char *pDay[] = { "Monday",
                      "Tuesday",
                      "Wednesday",
                      "Thursday",
                      "Friday" };

int main( void )
{
  /* Keep track of current day */
  WORKDAYS currentDay = Thursday;
 
  /* This outputs our integer based index... */
  cout << currentDay << endl;

  /* We can use our array of pointers and index to get the day */
  cout << *(pDay + currentDay) << endl;

  return 0;
}

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Try to remember enums aren't like structs and classes, they are in my opinion best used to represent related constants. I use them or things like male and female, left and right and similar things

Code:

---

enum Sex
{
Male,
Female
};

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Essentially they only represent numbers, so when you print one the number is what you get.

I like MrWizard's example except I would probably like to reference the name like this:

pDay[currentDay]; // <- das a string!

Quote:

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Originally posted by FillYourBrain
I like MrWizard's example except I would probably like to reference the name like this:

pDay[currentDay]; // <- das a string!

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Make sure your enums are numbered correctly though, can't remember if they are 0-based....

I'm not unregistered by the way (in case that seemed that way)

FYB, what Mr. Wizard did was an optimization. His way, all though not as clear, accesses the string more quickly.

Well you can always compile it and see for yourself but
I'd be supprised if the optimized code was different.

Nick, you wouldn't see the difference. It would only be recognized in many many iterations.

Quote:

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Originally posted by endo


Make sure your enums are numbered correctly though, can't remember if they are 0-based....

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If you do not assign a value, the first enumeration will default to zero. Each enumeration after the first will be incremented once. Thus:

enum color { Black, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Cyan, Magenta, White };

Black = 0, Red = 1, Green 2, ...

Furthermore, had we done this:

enum color { Black = 100, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Cyan, Magenta, White };

Then our enums would be as follows:

Black = 100, Red = 101, Green = 102, ...

Quzah.

i recommend this for the faq

If you need functionality such as printing out the name of a particular enum, it would be a lot more logical to create a class.

Once you add functions, and string arrays, its really going above and beyond what an enums job is.
Edit:: Oooh, I get an error when trying to rate this thread.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Eibro
Edit:: Oooh, I get an error when trying to rate this thread.

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I don't , I just gave it healthy 4 :)