Java Enum : Having Multiple Strings within one Enums

Question

I am new student java learning its basics

My objective is to create a Enum which contains various categories like Emails, Username, Passwords, MaterialType etc. Further I wanted that within one Category I can declare various strings and my sample code is as below:

public enum MyEnums {
    Usernames
    {
        public String toString()
        {
            return "This is a GmailUsername";
        }
        /*public String toString()
        {
            return "This is a GalleryComment";
        }*/
    },
    Password
    {
        public String toString()
        {
            return "This is a public password";
        }
    /*  public String GmailPassword()
        {
            return "This is a Gmail Password";
        } */

    },
    Emails
    {
        public String toString()
        {
            return "This is a public contact email address";
        }
        /* public String EmailAccount()
        {
            return "This is a public Email Account address";
        } */

    },
    PhoneNumbers
    {
        public String toString()
        {
        return "This is Phonenumber";
        }
        /*  public String Phone()
        {
            return "This is a phone number";
        }*/
        }
    }

and I call the code as

public static void main (String args[])
   {

       System.out.println(MyEnums.Emails);
       System.out.println(MyEnums.Usernames );
       System.out.println(MyEnums.PhoneNumbers);
       System.out.println(MyEnums.Password);

   }

My question is why on using second string type function it is giving error, example In the password category for GmailPassword() why it is not working.

Is there is any other way to declare multiple strings in enum in category wise manner like

public Enum myEnum{
Category1
{
"String 1","String2",......."String N"
}
.......
.......
.......
.......
CategoryN
{
"String 1","String2",......."String N"
}

I think you should create a common interface for the strings and implement that for each enum value. — Gábor Bakos
– Gábor Bakos, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 11:38
You are creating private anonymous inner classes for each enum constant. Only methods declared in the base class MyEnum can be accessed from the outside. — Holger
– Holger, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 11:52
@Holger Sir please validate public Enum MyEnum { public String Category1(String s) { switch(s) case 'Delete' : “This is a string 1”; case 'Update': “This is a update” case “Error”: “You have validation Error” } } and can call by String s='delete' System.out.println(MyEnum.Category1(s)); — Abhinav Kumar Singh
– Abhinav Kumar Singh, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 12:03

Criban · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-12 12:54:20Z

3

maybe this helps?

 public enum MyEnum {
    Emails("mail1", "mail2", "mail3"), 
    Usernames("username1", "username2"), 
    CategoryN("a", "b", "c");

    private String[] strings;

    private MyEnum(String... strings) {
        this.strings = strings;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return Arrays.toString(strings);
    }

    public String getString(int index) {
        return strings[index];
    }

}

Main

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(MyEnum.Emails);  //[mail1, mail2, mail3]

        System.out.println(MyEnum.Emails.getString(1)); //mail2
    }

edited Sep 12, 2014 at 12:54

answered Sep 12, 2014 at 11:40

Criban

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6 Comments

Pierre Henry Over a year ago

+1 good approach. But shouldn't the string property be public final, or provide an accessor ?

Arek Over a year ago

@Pierre Henry: no it's not required but might be helpful. But you still need to remember that one could modify content of strings array.

Abhinav Kumar Singh Over a year ago

How to call it in the main function I am calling it by using System.out.println(MyEnum.Emails); System.out.println(MyEnum.Usernames); but not getting the single string instead I am getting whole enum.

Abhinav Kumar Singh Over a year ago

Sir it helps and returning the data the way I need but don't know how to call it in main method. Please give me hints it will be your greatness.

Abhinav Kumar Singh Over a year ago

Thank you sir :) I got What I needed the most love you sir @Criban

|

Alex Schultz · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-12 11:37:30Z

1

You can create an enum with Objects instead of just Strings. That way you can access all the properties of those objects in a clean manner.

answered Sep 12, 2014 at 11:37

Alex Schultz

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1 Comment

Abhinav Kumar Singh Over a year ago

Sir I am new to coding so it will be your greatness if you will programmatic illustration thanks

Strikeskids · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-12 11:39:12Z

1

It seems to me that instead of an Enum with categories, you should have an interface that you make each category enum implement. That way you have N enums that each implement the category interface, and inside each of those you have the strings as the enum constants.

answered Sep 12, 2014 at 11:39

Strikeskids

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1 Comment

Abhinav Kumar Singh Over a year ago

please please give me an coding illustration of your approach.

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