Passing zero (int) to an enum in .NET Socket constructor?!

[martin]

This code compiles (this is how it should work):
Socket sock = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream,
ProtocolType.Tcp);

This code does not compile (passing an int instead of an AddressFamily is
bad):
Socket sock = new Socket(1, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);

But why on earth does not compile:
Socket sock = new Socket(0, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);

Is the number zero some kind of special case here? Why is zero accepted when
the parameter type clearly says that an AddressFamily enum value is expected?!
regards,
martin

[Larry Lard]

martin wrote:

This code compiles (this is how it should work):
Socket sock = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Stream,
ProtocolType.Tcp);

This code does not compile (passing an int instead of an AddressFamily is
bad):
Socket sock = new Socket(1, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);

But why on earth does not compile:
Typo, I assume.
Socket sock = new Socket(0, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp);

Is the number zero some kind of special case here? Why is zero accepted when
the parameter type clearly says that an AddressFamily enum value is expected?!

Yes, zero is a special case. Here is a shorter example:

System.Net.Sockets.AddressFamily af1 = 1; // no compile
System.Net.Sockets.AddressFamily af1 = 0; // compile

The reason can be found in section 6.1.3 of the C# spec:

<http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/csspec/html/vclrfcsharpspec_6_1_2.asp>

(sic, the url says 6.1.2 but the page is 6.1.3 :))

C# Language Specification

6.1.3 Implicit enumeration conversions
An implicit enumeration conversion permits the decimal-integer-literal
0 to be converted to any enum-type.

Elsewhere in the docs, we are also told "The default value of an enum E
is the value produced by the expression (E)0."

--
Larry Lard
Replies to group please