Map C++ enums as const char*

Question

I have the following enum and map:

typedef enum {
    MaxX = 0,
    MaxY,
    MaxCells,
    MaxCycles,
    Threes
} SettingName;

typedef std::map<SettingName, const char*> SettingNameCollection;

SettingNameCollection settingNames;

And I have the following function to return the enum name:

const char* gofBoard::getSettingName(unsigned x) {
    return settingNames[static_cast<SettingName>(x)];
}

And from what I've read that should work, but the function doesn't return anything. There's no compile time errors, and no runtime errors.

Answer 1

Here's my suggestion:

1- Write this macro:

#define SMART_STRINGIFY_CASE(ENUM_CODE) case ENUM_CODE: return # ENUM_CODE

2- Write this function:

const char* SettingNamesToString( settingNames const input)
{
  switch(input)
  {
    SMART_STRINGIFY_CASE(MaxX);
    SMART_STRINGIFY_CASE(MaxY);
    ...
  default:
    // your own ! 
}