How to get enum from a different namespace.

[toton]

Hi,
I have some enum (enumeration ) defined in some namespace, not inside
class. How to use the enum constant's in some other namespace without
using the whole namespace.

To say in little detail, the enum is declared as,
namespace test{
enum MyEnum{
VALUE1,VALUE2
};
}
now in another namespace,
using test::MyEnum; //It gets myenum.

MyEnum e = VALUE1; //It doesnt get the value.
One solution is to have using test::VALUE1;
but as such enum const's are huge in number it is not possible to use
all of them seperately.
Other way is to have using namespace test; But the namespace has many
other things and I want to avoid such statement if possible.

It looks the enum constants are 'free' inside the namespace, not
guarded by the MyEnum.

Anyway to deal with it? Is it possible to enclose them inside a dummy
class and use them ?

[werasm]

Jens Theisen wrote:

Comeau and gcc disagree, so I guess it's nonstandard. What compiler do
you use?

I think so too.

>
I don't know of a way to practically forward declare an enum in a
standard way or a feasible workaround. If someone does, I'd like to
hear.

I don't think there is one. I don't know why, but think there may be
good reason. Maybe some std guru can comment :-). The fact that comeau
does not compile it, makes me wonder. I know VCC does compile it, but I
work on more than one compiler - 4 to be precise (5 comeau included).

An alternative is to wrap it in a namespace:

The problem with wrapping in a namespace, is that each value that forms
part of the enum must be explicitly qualified (I think).

therefore...

using MyEnum::enum_t;

int x = static_cast<int >(eSome); //error, no type eSome
// in scope, required to qualify with MyEnum...

Regards,

Werner

[Jens Theisen]

"werasm" <w_*****@telkom sa.netwrites:

The problem with wrapping in a namespace, is that each value that forms
part of the enum must be explicitly qualified (I think).

therefore...

using MyEnum::enum_t;

int x = static_cast<int >(eSome); //error, no type eSome
// in scope, required to qualify with MyEnum...

Not if you use a using directive:

using namespace MyEnum;
^^

Regards,

Jens

[werasm]

Jens Theisen wrote:

"werasm" <w_*****@telkom sa.netwrites:

Not if you use a using directive:

using namespace MyEnum;

Yes, true. Unfortunately this is not a good idea in an .h file (for
qualification in class definitions). In general, it is not common to
use enum values in class definitions, though. If the need was required,
using an anonymous enum with a class is quite handy.
struct someS{
typedef x::y::z enum_t enum_t;

//now values qualified here by enum_t::value;
};

I have also found that the class name can form part of the actual enum
name (nice feature for categorisation) . This could be true for
namespaces too, though.

struct State
{
enum
{
Standby, Maintenance, Operational, Shutdown
};
};

Now qualify like:

State::Standby etc... The qualifier name conveys information about the
category of the enumerated type. A feature we often use. The biggest
reason for doing this though, is the fact that forward declaration of
enums don't work. If that was not the case, I would probably consider
using namespaces to scope my enums like you propose.

Regards,

Werner

[mlimber]

Jens Theisen wrote:

"mlimber" <ml*****@gmail. comwrites:

This is entirely unnecessary since you can forward-declare enums
without the struct:

Comeau and gcc disagree, so I guess it's nonstandard. What compiler do
you use?

How about that? Comeau and gcc do issue a warning, but VC++ 6, 7, 7.1,
8, and (most surprisingly) EDG don't.

I don't know of a way to practically forward declare an enum in a
standard way or a feasible workaround. If someone does, I'd like to
hear.

How about the technique presented here:
http://www.ddj.com/dept/cpp/184403894

Cheers! --M