how to compare string with enum in C#

Question

string strName = "John"; public enum Name { John,Peter }  private void DoSomething(string myname) { case1:      if(myname.Equals(Name.John) //returns false      {       }  case2:      if(myname == Name.John) //compilation error      {       }  case3:      if(myname.Equals(Name.John.ToString()) //returns true (correct comparision)      {       } } 

when I use .Equals it is reference compare and when I use == it means value compare.

Is there a better code instead of converting the enum value to ToString() for comparison? because it destroys the purpose of value type enum and also, ToString() on enum is deprecated??

Answer 1

You can use the Enum.TryParse() method to convert a string to the equivalent enumerated value (assuming it exists):

Name myName; if (Enum.TryParse(nameString, out myName)) {     switch (myName) { case John: ... } } 

Answer 2

You can parse the string value and do enum comparisons.

Enum.TryParse: See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd783499.aspx

Name result; if (Enum.TryParse(myname, out result)) {     switch (result)     {         case Name.John:             /* do 'John' logic */             break;         default:             /* unexpected/unspecialized enum value, do general logic */             break;     } } else  {     /* invalid enum value, handle */ } 

If you are just comparing a single value:

Name result; if (Enum.TryParse(myname, out result) && result == Name.John) {      /* do 'John' logic */ } else  {     /* do non-'John' logic */ }