Search code examples
c#enumsswitch-statement

C# - Switch Enum - Type name ' ' does not exist in the type ' '


I am getting an error "The type name 'Home' does not exist in the type 'MenuEnum'" when using it in a switch case. If I just go a if statement it works without issue.

The issue is when I use the MenuEnum.Home I am getting a IDE error and my code will not compile.

I also switched to a regular switch statement below in the code example.

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

Added Code below

public void Selected(MenuEventArgs<MenuItem> args)
{
    //The ULR to navigate to
    var url = string.Empty;

    try
    {
        //If there is no data do nothing
        if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(args.Item.Text))
            return;
            
        //switch on the incoming text
        switch (args.Item.Text)
        {
            //IDE Error on home (will not compile)...
            case MenuEnum.Home.ToString():
                url = "/";
                break;
            default:
                url = "";
                break;
        }

        //working code
        if (args.Item.Text == MenuEnum.Home.ToString().Replace('_', ' '))
        {
            url = "/";
        }


    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(ex);
    }
    
    Navigation.NavigateTo(url);  
}  

/-Enum file-/

 namespace ManagerDashboard2022.Client.ENUMs;

 /// <summary>
 /// The Items in the menu
 /// </summary>
 public enum MenuEnum
 {
     Home
 }

Solution

  • If you really want to switch on string values, you can replace that

     case MenuEnum.Home.ToString():
    

    with

     case nameof(MenuEnum.Home):
    

    nameof is evaluated at compile time to result in the string constant "Home" (in this case). As this is a constant, you can "switch" on it.

    The advantage of using nameof instead of just the string "Home" is that with nameof the MenuEnum.Home value needs to exist - so you get an compiler error on typos.

    That error message you got:

    "The type name 'Home' does not exist in the type 'MenuEnum'"

    is not very helpful in this case. It should have been (IMO) something like "you cannot have a runtime expression as case label".