Package org.apache.commons.lang.enums

## Class Enum

- java.lang.Object
- - org.apache.commons.lang.enums.Enum

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    `Serializable`, `Comparable`
  Direct Known Subclasses:
    `ValuedEnum`

      public abstract class Enum
      extends Object
      implements Comparable, Serializable

  Abstract superclass for type-safe enums.

  One feature of the C programming language lacking in Java is enumerations. The C implementation based on ints was poor and open to abuse. The original Java recommendation and most of the JDK also uses int constants. It has been recognised however that a more robust type-safe class-based solution can be designed. This class follows the basic Java type-safe enumeration pattern.

  NOTE: Due to the way in which Java ClassLoaders work, comparing Enum objects should always be done using `equals()`, not `==`. The equals() method will try == first so in most cases the effect is the same.

  Of course, if you actually want (or don't mind) Enums in different class loaders being non-equal, then you can use `==`.

  #### Simple Enums

  To use this class, it must be subclassed. For example:

       public final class ColorEnum extends Enum {
         public static final ColorEnum RED = new ColorEnum("Red");
         public static final ColorEnum GREEN = new ColorEnum("Green");
         public static final ColorEnum BLUE = new ColorEnum("Blue");

         private ColorEnum(String color) {
           super(color);
         }

         public static ColorEnum getEnum(String color) {
           return (ColorEnum) getEnum(ColorEnum.class, color);
         }

         public static Map getEnumMap() {
           return getEnumMap(ColorEnum.class);
         }

         public static List getEnumList() {
           return getEnumList(ColorEnum.class);
         }

         public static Iterator iterator() {
           return iterator(ColorEnum.class);
         }
       }

  As shown, each enum has a name. This can be accessed using `getName`.

  The `getEnum` and `iterator` methods are recommended. Unfortunately, Java restrictions require these to be coded as shown in each subclass. An alternative choice is to use the `EnumUtils` class.

  #### Subclassed Enums

  A hierarchy of Enum classes can be built. In this case, the superclass is unaffected by the addition of subclasses (as per normal Java). The subclasses may add additional Enum constants of the type of the superclass. The query methods on the subclass will return all of the Enum constants from the superclass and subclass.

       public final class ExtraColorEnum extends ColorEnum {
         // NOTE: Color enum declared above is final, change that to get this
         // example to compile.
         public static final ColorEnum YELLOW = new ExtraColorEnum("Yellow");

         private ExtraColorEnum(String color) {
           super(color);
         }

         public static ColorEnum getEnum(String color) {
           return (ColorEnum) getEnum(ExtraColorEnum.class, color);
         }

         public static Map getEnumMap() {
           return getEnumMap(ExtraColorEnum.class);
         }

         public static List getEnumList() {
           return getEnumList(ExtraColorEnum.class);
         }

         public static Iterator iterator() {
           return iterator(ExtraColorEnum.class);
         }
       }

  This example will return RED, GREEN, BLUE, YELLOW from the List and iterator methods in that order. The RED, GREEN and BLUE instances will be the same (==) as those from the superclass ColorEnum. Note that YELLOW is declared as a ColorEnum and not an ExtraColorEnum.

  #### Functional Enums

  The enums can have functionality by defining subclasses and overriding the `getEnumClass()` method:

         public static final OperationEnum PLUS = new PlusOperation();
         private static final class PlusOperation extends OperationEnum {
           private PlusOperation() {
             super("Plus");
           }
           public int eval(int a, int b) {
             return a + b;
           }
         }
         public static final OperationEnum MINUS = new MinusOperation();
         private static final class MinusOperation extends OperationEnum {
           private MinusOperation() {
             super("Minus");
           }
           public int eval(int a, int b) {
             return a - b;
           }
         }

         private OperationEnum(String color) {
           super(color);
         }

         public final Class getEnumClass() {     // NOTE: new method!
           return OperationEnum.class;
         }

         public abstract double eval(double a, double b);

         public static OperationEnum getEnum(String name) {
           return (OperationEnum) getEnum(OperationEnum.class, name);
         }

         public static Map getEnumMap() {
           return getEnumMap(OperationEnum.class);
         }

         public static List getEnumList() {
           return getEnumList(OperationEnum.class);
         }

         public static Iterator iterator() {
           return iterator(OperationEnum.class);
         }
       }

  The code above will work on JDK 1.2. If JDK1.3 and later is used, the subclasses may be defined as anonymous.

  #### Nested class Enums

  Care must be taken with class loading when defining a static nested class for enums. The static nested class can be loaded without the surrounding outer class being loaded. This can result in an empty list/map/iterator being returned. One solution is to define a static block that references the outer class where the constants are defined. For example:

       public final class Outer {
         public static final BWEnum BLACK = new BWEnum("Black");
         public static final BWEnum WHITE = new BWEnum("White");

         // static nested enum class
         public static final class BWEnum extends Enum {

           static {
             // explicitly reference BWEnum class to force constants to load
             Object obj = Outer.BLACK;
           }

           // ... other methods omitted
         }
       }

  Although the above solves the problem, it is not recommended. The best solution is to define the constants in the enum class, and hold references in the outer class:

       public final class Outer {
         public static final BWEnum BLACK = BWEnum.BLACK;
         public static final BWEnum WHITE = BWEnum.WHITE;

         // static nested enum class
         public static final class BWEnum extends Enum {
           // only define constants in enum classes - private if desired
           private static final BWEnum BLACK = new BWEnum("Black");
           private static final BWEnum WHITE = new BWEnum("White");

           // ... other methods omitted
         }
       }

  For more details, see the 'Nested' test cases.

  #### Lang Enums and Java 5.0 Enums

  Enums were added to Java in Java 5.0. The main differences between Lang's implementation and the new official JDK implementation are:

  - The standard Enum is a not just a superclass, but is a type baked into the language.
  - The standard Enum does not support extension, so the standard methods that are provided in the Lang enum are not available.
  - Lang mandates a String name, whereas the standard Enum uses the class name as its name. getName() changes to name().

  Generally people should use the standard Enum. Migrating from the Lang enum to the standard Enum is not as easy as it might be due to the lack of class inheritence in standard Enums. This means that it's not possible to provide a 'super-enum' which could provide the same utility methods that the Lang enum does. The following utility class is a Java 5.0 version of our EnumUtils class and provides those utility methods.

       import java.util.*;

       public class EnumUtils {

         public static Enum getEnum(Class enumClass, String token) {
           return Enum.valueOf(enumClass, token);
         }

         public static Map getEnumMap(Class enumClass) {
           HashMap map = new HashMap();
           Iterator itr = EnumUtils.iterator(enumClass);
           while(itr.hasNext()) {
             Enum enm = (Enum) itr.next();
             map.put( enm.name(), enm );
           }
           return map;
         }

         public static List getEnumList(Class enumClass) {
           return new ArrayList( EnumSet.allOf(enumClass) );
         }

         public static Iterator iterator(Class enumClass) {
           return EnumUtils.getEnumList(enumClass).iterator();
         }
       }

  Since:
    2.1 (class existed in enum package from v1.0)
  Version:
    $Id: Enum.java 912394 2010-02-21 20:16:22Z niallp $
  See Also:
    Serialized Form

- - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `protected String` | `iToString` | The toString representation of the Enum.

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Modifier | Constructor | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `protected` | `Enum​(String name)` | Constructor to add a new named item to the enumeration.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method | Description
    --- | --- | ---
    `int` | `compareTo​(Object other)` | Tests for order.
    `boolean` | `equals​(Object other)` | Tests for equality.
    `protected static Enum` | `getEnum​(Class enumClass, String name)` | Gets an `Enum` object by class and name.
    `Class` | `getEnumClass()` | Retrieves the Class of this Enum item, set in the constructor.
    `protected static List` | `getEnumList​(Class enumClass)` | Gets the `List` of `Enum` objects using the `Enum` class.
    `protected static Map` | `getEnumMap​(Class enumClass)` | Gets the `Map` of `Enum` objects by name using the `Enum` class.
    `String` | `getName()` | Retrieve the name of this Enum item, set in the constructor.
    `int` | `hashCode()` | Returns a suitable hashCode for the enumeration.
    `protected static Iterator` | `iterator​(Class enumClass)` | Gets an `Iterator` over the `Enum` objects in an `Enum` class.
    `protected Object` | `readResolve()` | Handle the deserialization of the class to ensure that multiple copies are not wastefully created, or illegal enum types created.
    `String` | `toString()` | Human readable description of this Enum item.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### iToString

          protected transient String iToString

      The toString representation of the Enum.
      Since:
        2.0

  - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### Enum

          protected Enum​(String name)

      Constructor to add a new named item to the enumeration.

      Parameters:
        `name` - the name of the enum object, must not be empty or `null`
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the name is `null` or an empty string
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the getEnumClass() method returns a null or invalid Class

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### readResolve

          protected Object readResolve()

      Handle the deserialization of the class to ensure that multiple copies are not wastefully created, or illegal enum types created.

      Returns:
        the resolved object

    - #### getEnum

          protected static Enum getEnum​(Class enumClass,
                                        String name)

      Gets an `Enum` object by class and name.

      Parameters:
        `enumClass` - the class of the Enum to get, must not be `null`
        `name` - the name of the `Enum` to get, may be `null`
      Returns:
        the enum object, or `null` if the enum does not exist
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is `null`

    - #### getEnumMap

          protected static Map getEnumMap​(Class enumClass)

      Gets the `Map` of `Enum` objects by name using the `Enum` class.

      If the requested class has no enum objects an empty `Map` is returned.

      Parameters:
        `enumClass` - the class of the `Enum` to get, must not be `null`
      Returns:
        the enum object Map
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is `null`
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is not a subclass of Enum

    - #### getEnumList

          protected static List getEnumList​(Class enumClass)

      Gets the `List` of `Enum` objects using the `Enum` class.

      The list is in the order that the objects were created (source code order). If the requested class has no enum objects an empty `List` is returned.

      Parameters:
        `enumClass` - the class of the `Enum` to get, must not be `null`
      Returns:
        the enum object Map
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is `null`
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is not a subclass of Enum

    - #### iterator

          protected static Iterator iterator​(Class enumClass)

      Gets an `Iterator` over the `Enum` objects in an `Enum` class.

      The `Iterator` is in the order that the objects were created (source code order). If the requested class has no enum objects an empty `Iterator` is returned.

      Parameters:
        `enumClass` - the class of the `Enum` to get, must not be `null`
      Returns:
        an iterator of the Enum objects
      Throws:
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is `null`
        `IllegalArgumentException` - if the enum class is not a subclass of Enum

    - #### getName

          public final String getName()

      Retrieve the name of this Enum item, set in the constructor.

      Returns:
        the `String` name of this Enum item

    - #### getEnumClass

          public Class getEnumClass()

      Retrieves the Class of this Enum item, set in the constructor.

      This is normally the same as `getClass()`, but for advanced Enums may be different. If overridden, it must return a constant value.

      Returns:
        the `Class` of the enum
      Since:
        2.0

    - #### equals

          public final boolean equals​(Object other)

      Tests for equality.

      Two Enum objects are considered equal if they have the same class names and the same names. Identity is tested for first, so this method usually runs fast.

      If the parameter is in a different class loader than this instance, reflection is used to compare the names.

      Overrides:
        `equals` in class `Object`
      Parameters:
        `other` - the other object to compare for equality
      Returns:
        `true` if the Enums are equal

    - #### hashCode

          public final int hashCode()

      Returns a suitable hashCode for the enumeration.

      Overrides:
        `hashCode` in class `Object`
      Returns:
        a hashcode based on the name

    - #### compareTo

          public int compareTo​(Object other)

      Tests for order.

      The default ordering is alphabetic by name, but this can be overridden by subclasses.

      If the parameter is in a different class loader than this instance, reflection is used to compare the names.

      Specified by:
        `compareTo` in interface `Comparable`
      Parameters:
        `other` - the other object to compare to
      Returns:
        -ve if this is less than the other object, +ve if greater than, `0` of equal
      Throws:
        `ClassCastException` - if other is not an Enum
        `NullPointerException` - if other is `null`
      See Also:
        `Comparable.compareTo(Object)`

    - #### toString

          public String toString()

      Human readable description of this Enum item.

      Overrides:
        `toString` in class `Object`
      Returns:
        String in the form `type[name]`, for example: `Color[Red]`. Note that the package name is stripped from the type name.