How do you bind an Enum to a DropDownList control in ASP.NET?

Question

I probably wouldn't bind the data as it's an enum, and it won't change after compile time (unless I'm having one of those stoopid moments).

Better just to iterate through the enum:

Dim itemValues As Array = System.Enum.GetValues(GetType(Response))
Dim itemNames As Array = System.Enum.GetNames(GetType(Response))

For i As Integer = 0 To itemNames.Length - 1
    Dim item As New ListItem(itemNames(i), itemValues(i))
    dropdownlist.Items.Add(item)
Next

Or the same in C#

Array itemValues = System.Enum.GetValues(typeof(Response));
Array itemNames = System.Enum.GetNames(typeof(Response));

for (int i = 0; i <= itemNames.Length - 1 ; i++) {
    ListItem item = new ListItem(itemNames[i], itemValues[i]);
    dropdownlist.Items.Add(item);
}

Use the following utility class Enumeration to get an IDictionary<int,string> (Enum value & name pair) from an Enumeration; you then bind the IDictionary to a bindable Control.

public static class Enumeration
{
    public static IDictionary<int, string> GetAll<TEnum>() where TEnum: struct
    {
        var enumerationType = typeof (TEnum);

        if (!enumerationType.IsEnum)
            throw new ArgumentException("Enumeration type is expected.");

        var dictionary = new Dictionary<int, string>();

        foreach (int value in Enum.GetValues(enumerationType))
        {
            var name = Enum.GetName(enumerationType, value);
            dictionary.Add(value, name);
        }

        return dictionary;
    }
}

Example: Using the utility class to bind enumeration data to a control

ddlResponse.DataSource = Enumeration.GetAll<Response>();
ddlResponse.DataTextField = "Value";
ddlResponse.DataValueField = "Key";
ddlResponse.DataBind();

I use this for ASP.NET MVC:

Html.DropDownListFor(o => o.EnumProperty, Enum.GetValues(typeof(enumtype)).Cast<enumtype>().Select(x => new SelectListItem { Text = x.ToString(), Value = ((int)x).ToString() }))

My version is just a compressed form of the above:

foreach (Response r in Enum.GetValues(typeof(Response)))
{
    ListItem item = new ListItem(Enum.GetName(typeof(Response), r), r.ToString());
    DropDownList1.Items.Add(item);
}

public enum Color
{
    RED,
    GREEN,
    BLUE
}

Every Enum type derives from System.Enum. There are two static methods that help bind data to a drop-down list control (and retrieve the value). These are Enum.GetNames and Enum.Parse. Using GetNames, you are able to bind to your drop-down list control as follows:

protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList ddColor;

private void Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
     if(!IsPostBack)
     {
        ddColor.DataSource = Enum.GetNames(typeof(Color));
        ddColor.DataBind();
     }
}

Now if you want the Enum value Back on Selection ....

  private void ddColor_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
  {
    Color selectedColor = (Color)Enum.Parse(typeof(Color),ddColor.SelectedValue
  }