How to check if any flags of a flag combination are set?
If you want to know if letter has any of the letters in AB you must use the AND &
operator. Something like:
if ((letter & Letters.AB) != 0)
{
// Some flag (A,B or both) is enabled
}
else
{
// None of them are enabled
}
I use extension methods to write things like that :
if (letter.IsFlagSet(Letter.AB))
...
Here's the code :
public static class EnumExtensions
{
private static void CheckIsEnum<T>(bool withFlags)
{
if (!typeof(T).IsEnum)
throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Type '{0}' is not an enum", typeof(T).FullName));
if (withFlags && !Attribute.IsDefined(typeof(T), typeof(FlagsAttribute)))
throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Type '{0}' doesn't have the 'Flags' attribute", typeof(T).FullName));
}
public static bool IsFlagSet<T>(this T value, T flag) where T : struct
{
CheckIsEnum<T>(true);
long lValue = Convert.ToInt64(value);
long lFlag = Convert.ToInt64(flag);
return (lValue & lFlag) != 0;
}
public static IEnumerable<T> GetFlags<T>(this T value) where T : struct
{
CheckIsEnum<T>(true);
foreach (T flag in Enum.GetValues(typeof(T)).Cast<T>())
{
if (value.IsFlagSet(flag))
yield return flag;
}
}
public static T SetFlags<T>(this T value, T flags, bool on) where T : struct
{
CheckIsEnum<T>(true);
long lValue = Convert.ToInt64(value);
long lFlag = Convert.ToInt64(flags);
if (on)
{
lValue |= lFlag;
}
else
{
lValue &= (~lFlag);
}
return (T)Enum.ToObject(typeof(T), lValue);
}
public static T SetFlags<T>(this T value, T flags) where T : struct
{
return value.SetFlags(flags, true);
}
public static T ClearFlags<T>(this T value, T flags) where T : struct
{
return value.SetFlags(flags, false);
}
public static T CombineFlags<T>(this IEnumerable<T> flags) where T : struct
{
CheckIsEnum<T>(true);
long lValue = 0;
foreach (T flag in flags)
{
long lFlag = Convert.ToInt64(flag);
lValue |= lFlag;
}
return (T)Enum.ToObject(typeof(T), lValue);
}
public static string GetDescription<T>(this T value) where T : struct
{
CheckIsEnum<T>(false);
string name = Enum.GetName(typeof(T), value);
if (name != null)
{
FieldInfo field = typeof(T).GetField(name);
if (field != null)
{
DescriptionAttribute attr = Attribute.GetCustomAttribute(field, typeof(DescriptionAttribute)) as DescriptionAttribute;
if (attr != null)
{
return attr.Description;
}
}
}
return null;
}
}
In .NET 4 you can use the Enum.HasFlag method :
using System;
[Flags] public enum Pet {
None = 0,
Dog = 1,
Cat = 2,
Bird = 4,
Rabbit = 8,
Other = 16
}
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
// Define three families: one without pets, one with dog + cat and one with a dog only
Pet[] petsInFamilies = { Pet.None, Pet.Dog | Pet.Cat, Pet.Dog };
int familiesWithoutPets = 0;
int familiesWithDog = 0;
foreach (Pet petsInFamily in petsInFamilies)
{
// Count families that have no pets.
if (petsInFamily.Equals(Pet.None))
familiesWithoutPets++;
// Of families with pets, count families that have a dog.
else if (petsInFamily.HasFlag(Pet.Dog))
familiesWithDog++;
}
Console.WriteLine("{0} of {1} families in the sample have no pets.",
familiesWithoutPets, petsInFamilies.Length);
Console.WriteLine("{0} of {1} families in the sample have a dog.",
familiesWithDog, petsInFamilies.Length);
}
}
The example displays the following output:
// 1 of 3 families in the sample have no pets.
// 2 of 3 families in the sample have a dog.
There is HasFlag method in .NET 4 or higher.
if(letter.HasFlag(Letters.AB))
{
}