How to get name of an enumeration in MATLAB

Question

I define an enumerated type in MATLAB

classdef(Enumeration) Color < Simulink.IntEnumType
  enumeration
    RED(0),
    GREEN(1),
    BLUE(2),
  end
end

I can assign it:

>> x = Color.RED    
x = 
    RED

I can display it like this:

>> disp(x)
    RED

or like this

>> x.display()
x =
    RED

How can I get access to that name ("RED") as a string?

In other words I'm lookin for something like:

s = x.toString()

or

s = tostring(x)

both of which do not work.

Answer 1

You can use:

» str = char(Color.RED)
str =
RED
» class(str)
ans =
char

You can even override the default behaviour:

classdef(Enumeration) Color < int32
 enumeration
  RED(0)
  GREEN(1)
  BLUE(2)
 end

 methods
  function s = char(obj)
   s = ['Color ' num2str(obj)];
   %# or use a switch statement..
  end

  function disp(obj)
   disp( char(obj) )
  end
 end
end

and now:

» char(Color.BLUE)
ans =
Color 2