Enum.ToString return wrong value?

Question

I have a simple enum:

public enum MyEnum
{
    [Description("Zero")]
    Zero,
    [Description("A positive number")]
    Positive,
    [Description("Any integer")]
    AnyInteger,
    [Description("A negative number")]
    Negative,
    [Description("Reserved number")]
    Reserved =2
}

However, running the the following code:

MyEnum temp = MyEnum.AnyInteger;

string en = temp.ToString();

sets the en string to Reserved.

Why does it happens?

Is there is some other way to set the string to the used enum string (in this case AnyInteger)?

Answer 1

when defining an enum the first value start with 0 and it going up from there unless you define other wise, so in your case it's:

public enum MyEnum
        {
            [Description("Zero")]
            Zero, //0
            [Description("A positive number")]
            Positive, //1
            [Description("Any integer")]
            AnyInteger, //2
            [Description("A negative number")]
            Negative, //3
            [Description("Reserved number")]
            Reserved = 2 // it's 2 again
           }

you can define the same value twice (or more) in a enum. the ToString find a name with the same value:

MyEnum temp=MyEnum.AnyInteger; //temp = 2

string en=temp.ToString(); // return the name of the first name with value 2.

if you insist that "Reserved" should have the value 2, put him in the right place of order. otherwise remove the =2

Answer 2

It happens because you have set reserved to 2. If you want to set values for your enums, you should do all or none.