Generic functions for converting an enumeration to string and back

Question

I'm trying to write functions that will convert an enumeration to string and back again.

ie:

TConversions = class
    strict private
    public
      class function StringToEnumeration<T:class>(x:String):T;
      class function EnumerationToString<T:class>(x:T):String;
  end;

in the implementation section I have

uses
System.TypInfo
;

class function TConversions.StringToEnumeration<T>(x:String):T;
begin
    Result :=  T(GetEnumValue(TypeInfo(T), x));
end;

class function TConversions.EnumerationToString<T>(x:T):String;
begin
    Result := GetEnumName(TypeInfo(T), integer(x));
end;

The problem is, an enum is not of type T:class in pascal. I can't use T:record either.

Is this possible to do in pascal?

Answer 1

You need to fiddle with things a bit. There is no generic for enums so we get around it by casting to and from the enum using Byte, Word and Cardinal.

program Project6;

{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}
{$R *.res}

uses
  System.SysUtils, System.TypInfo;

type
  TConversions<T> = record
    class function StringToEnumeration(x: String): T; static;
    class function EnumerationToString(x: T): String; static;
  end;

class function TConversions<T>.StringToEnumeration(x: String): T;
begin
  case Sizeof(T) of
    1: PByte(@Result)^ := GetEnumValue(TypeInfo(T), x);
    2: PWord(@Result)^ := GetEnumValue(TypeInfo(T), x);
    4: PCardinal(@Result)^ := GetEnumValue(TypeInfo(T), x);
  end;
end;

class function TConversions<T>.EnumerationToString(x: T): String;
begin
  case Sizeof(T) of
    1: Result := GetEnumName(TypeInfo(T), PByte(@x)^);
    2: Result := GetEnumName(TypeInfo(T), PWord(@x)^);
    4: Result := GetEnumName(TypeInfo(T), PCardinal(@x)^);
  end;
end;

type
  TMyEnum = (me_One, me_Two, me_Three);
  TMyEnum2 = (m1,m2,m3,m4,m5,m6,m7,m8,m9,m10,m11,m12,m13,m14,m15,m16,m17,m18,m19,m20,
              m21,m22,m23,m24,m25,m26,m27,m28,m29,m30,m31,m32,m33,m34,m35,m36,m37,m38,m39,m40,
              m41,m42,m43,m44,m45,m46,m47,m48,m49,m50,m51,m52,m53,m54,m55,m56,m57,m58,m59,m60,
              ma1,ma2,ma3,ma4,ma5,ma6,ma7,ma8,ma9,ma10,ma11,ma12,ma13,ma14,ma15,ma16,ma17,ma18,ma19,ma20,
              ma21,ma22,ma23,ma24,ma25,ma26,ma27,ma28,ma29,ma30,ma31,ma32,ma33,ma34,ma35,ma36,ma37,ma38,ma39,
              ma40,ma41,ma42,ma43,ma44,ma45,ma46,ma47,ma48,ma49,ma50,ma51,ma52,ma53,ma54,ma55,ma56,ma57,ma58,ma59,ma60,
              mb1,mb2,mb3,mb4,mb5,mb6,mb7,mb8,mb9,mb10,mb11,mb12,mb13,mb14,mb15,mb16,mb17,mb18,mb19,
              mb20,mb21,mb22,mb23,mb24,mb25,mb26,mb27,mb28,mb29,mb30,mb31,mb32,mb33,mb34,mb35,mb36,mb37,mb38,mb39,
              mb40,mb41,mb42,mb43,mb44,mb45,mb46,mb47,mb48,mb49,mb50,mb51,mb52,mb53,mb54,mb55,mb56,mb57,mb58,mb59,mb60,
              mc1,mc2,mc3,mc4,mc5,mc6,mc7,mc8,mc9,mc10,mc11,mc12,mc13,mc14,mc15,mc16,mc17,mc18,mc19,
              mc20,mc21,mc22,mc23,mc24,mc25,mc26,mc27,mc28,mc29,mc30,mc31,mc32,mc33,mc34,mc35,mc36,mc37,mc38,mc39,
              mc40,mc41,mc42,mc43,mc44,mc45,mc46,mc47,mc48,mc49,mc50,mc51,mc52,mc53,mc54,mc55,mc56,mc57,mc58,mc59,mc60,
              md1,md2,md3,md4,md5,md6,md7,md8,md9,md10,md11,md12,md13,md14,md15,md16,md17,md18,md19,
              md20,md21,md22,md23,md24,md25,md26,md27,md28,md29,md30,md31,md32,md33,md34,md35,md36,md37,md38,md39,
              md40,md41,md42,md43,md44,md45,md46,md47,md48,md49,md50,md51,md52,md53,md54,md55,md56,md57,md58,md59,md60,
              me1,me2,me3,me4,me5,me6,me7,me8,me9,me10,me11,me12,me13,me14,me15,me16,me17,me18,me19,
              me20,me21,me22,me23,me24,me25,me26,me27,me28,me29,me30,me31,me32,me33,me34,me35,me36,me37,me38,me39,
              me40,me41,me42,me43,me44,me45,me46,me47,me48,me49,me50,me51,me52,me53,me54,me55,me56,me57,me58,me59,me60,
              mf1,mf2,mf3,mf4,mf5,mf6,mf7,mf8,mf9,mf10,mf11,mf12,mf13,mf14,mf15,mf16,mf17,mf18,mf19,
              mf20,mf21,mf22,mf23,mf24,mf25,mf26,mf27,mf28,mf29,mf30,mf31,mf32,mf33,mf34,mf35,mf36,mf37,mf38,mf39,
              mf40,mf41,mf42,mf43,mf44,mf45,mf46,mf47,mf48,mf49,mf50,mf51,mf52,mf53,mf54,mf55,mf56,mf57,mf58,mf59,mf60);

var
  enum: TMyEnum;
  enum2: TMyEnum2;
begin
  enum := me_Two;
  WriteLn(TConversions<TMyEnum>.EnumerationToString(enum));
  enum := me_One;
  WriteLn(TConversions<TMyEnum>.EnumerationToString(enum));
  enum := TConversions<TMyEnum>.StringToEnumeration('me_Three');
  WriteLn(TConversions<TMyEnum>.EnumerationToString(enum));
  enum2 := m17;
  WriteLn(TConversions<TMyEnum2>.EnumerationToString(enum2));
  ReadLn;
end.

Answer 2

Somehow this crucial information is missing as an answer:

In recent Delphi versions there is no need to write any generic helper to convert enums to string and back, because it is already there in System.Rtti, and in fact it is implemented very similar to the existing answers here.

class function TRttiEnumerationType.GetName<T{: enum}>(AValue: T): string;
class function TRttiEnumerationType.GetValue<T{: enum}>(const AName: string): T;

Usage is very short and simple:

S:= TRttiEnumerationType.GetName(myEnum);

Answer 3

There seems to be no T:enum generic type constraint so I think the best you can do is check the type at runtime, something like this:

Edit: Based on David's comment, I've added the T: record constraint which can be used to constrain to value types (and rule out class types).

type
  TConversions = class
  public
    class function StringToEnumeration<T: record>(const S: string): T;
    class function EnumerationToString<T: record>(Value: T): string;
  end;

class function TConversions.EnumerationToString<T>(Value: T): string;
var
  P: PTypeInfo;
begin
  P := PTypeInfo(TypeInfo(T));
  case P^.Kind of
    tkEnumeration:
      case GetTypeData(P)^.OrdType of
        otSByte, otUByte:
          Result := GetEnumName(P, PByte(@Value)^);
        otSWord, otUWord:
          Result := GetEnumName(P, PWord(@Value)^);
        otSLong, otULong:
          Result := GetEnumName(P, PCardinal(@Value)^);
      end;
    else
      raise EArgumentException.CreateFmt('Type %s is not enumeration', [P^.Name]);
  end;
end;

class function TConversions.StringToEnumeration<T>(const S: string): T;
var
  P: PTypeInfo;
begin
  P := PTypeInfo(TypeInfo(T));
  case P^.Kind of
    tkEnumeration:
      case GetTypeData(P)^.OrdType of
        otSByte, otUByte:
          PByte(@Result)^ := GetEnumValue(P, S);
        otSWord, otUWord:
          PWord(@Result)^ := GetEnumValue(P, S);
        otSLong, otULong:
          PCardinal(@Result)^ := GetEnumValue(P, S);
      end;
    else
      raise EArgumentException.CreateFmt('Type %s is not enumeration', [P^.Name]);
  end;
end;