Extend Enum with flag methods?

Question

I have found good examples on how to create extension methods to read out single values from bitwise enums. But now that C# 4 has added the HasFlag method they are really not needed.

What I think would be really helpful though is an extension to SET a single flag!
I have many situations where I need to set the flag values individually.
I want an extension method with this signature:

enumVariable.SetFlag(EnumType.SingleFlag, true);

OR possibly:

enumVariable.SetFlag<EnumType>(EnumType.SingleFlag, true);

Answer 1

Today I found a solution on http://hugoware.net/blog/enums-flags-and-csharp. Thanks Hugo! Excellent code that works fine. I adjusted it slightly and added it to my existing EnumExtender:

public static class EnumExtender
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Adds a flag value to enum.
    /// Please note that enums are value types so you need to handle the RETURNED value from this method.
    /// Example: myEnumVariable = myEnumVariable.AddFlag(CustomEnumType.Value1);
    /// </summary>
    public static T AddFlag<T>(this Enum type, T enumFlag)
    {
        try
        {
            return (T)(object)((int)(object)type|(int)(object)enumFlag);
        }
        catch(Exception ex)
        {
            throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Could not append flag value {0} to enum {1}",enumFlag, typeof(T).Name), ex);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Removes the flag value from enum.
    /// Please note that enums are value types so you need to handle the RETURNED value from this method.
    /// Example: myEnumVariable = myEnumVariable.RemoveFlag(CustomEnumType.Value1);
    /// </summary>
    public static T RemoveFlag<T>(this Enum type, T enumFlag)
    {
        try
        {
            return (T)(object)((int)(object)type & ~(int)(object)enumFlag);
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            throw new ArgumentException(string.Format("Could not remove flag value {0} from enum {1}", enumFlag, typeof(T).Name), ex);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Sets flag state on enum.
    /// Please note that enums are value types so you need to handle the RETURNED value from this method.
    /// Example: myEnumVariable = myEnumVariable.SetFlag(CustomEnumType.Value1, true);
    /// </summary>
    public static T SetFlag<T>(this Enum type, T enumFlag, bool value)
    {
        return value ? type.AddFlag(enumFlag) : type.RemoveFlag(enumFlag);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Checks if the flag value is identical to the provided enum.
    /// </summary>
    public static bool IsIdenticalFlag<T>(this Enum type, T enumFlag)
    {
        try
        {
            return (int)(object)type == (int)(object)enumFlag;
        }
        catch
        {
            return false;
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Convert provided enum type to list of values.
    /// This is convenient when you need to iterate enum values.
    /// </summary>
    public static List<T> ToList<T>()
    {
        if (!typeof(T).IsEnum)
            throw new ArgumentException();
        var values = Enum.GetNames(typeof(T));
        return values.Select(value => value.ToEnum<T>()).ToList();
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Present the enum values as a comma separated string.
    /// </summary>
    public static string GetValues<T>()
    {
        if (!typeof(T).IsEnum)
            throw new ArgumentException();
        var values = Enum.GetNames(typeof(T));
        return string.Join(", ", values);
    }

}