enum Values to NSString (iOS)

Question

I have an enum holding several values:

enum {value1, value2, value3} myValue;

In a certain point in my app, I wish to check which value of the enum is now active. I'm using NSLog but I'm not clear on how to display the current value of the enum (value1/valu2/valu3/etc...) as a NSString for the NSLog.

Anyone?

Answer 1

I didn't like putting the enum on the heap, without providing a heap function for translation. Here's what I came up with:

typedef enum {value1, value2, value3} myValue;
#define myValueString(enum) [@[@"value1",@"value2",@"value3"] objectAtIndex:enum]

This keeps the enum and string declarations close together for easy updating when needed.

Now, anywhere in the code, you can use the enum/macro like this:

myValue aVal = value2;
NSLog(@"The enum value is '%@'.", myValueString(aVal));

outputs: The enum value is 'value2'.

To guarantee the element indexes, you can always explicitly declare the start(or all) enum values.

enum {value1=0, value2=1, value3=2};