Count Enum Flag

[IanWright]

Can anyone suggest a simple way to count the number of associated flags as I'm not quite sure how to do so, in a simple way other than repetedly dividing by 2^n...

[Flags]
    public enum Test
    {
        Test1 = 1,
        Test2 = 2,
        Test3 = 4,
        Test4 = 8,
        Test5 = 16,
        Test6 = 32,
        Test7 = 64,
        Test8 = 128
    }

    public static int Count(ref Test test)
    {
           // return number of Tests (e.g. 01001001 = 3 )
    }

[r035198x]

Enums implicitly inherit from System.Enum which has a GetNames() which returns all the names of the contants in your enum.

[balabaster]

Enums implicitly inherit from System.Enum which has a GetNames() which returns all the names of the contants in your enum.

The easiest way is to use a binary to decimal conversion on your value and then loop through your enum using bit masks:

Dim MyValue = 'Convert binary to decimal here...
Dim Total = 0
For Each oVal In System.Enum.GetValues(GetType(MyEnum))
  If oVal && MyValue Then Total += oVal
Next
Return Total

Of course, doing a binary to decimal conversion would render the enum loop superfluous...a nd therefore the enum too...

[IanWright]

Count = System.Enums.Ge tValues(GetType (MyEnum)).Lengt h

Thank you :) Shall give it a whirl. Need to learn to take advantge of the System.Enums namespace I think!