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How does enum work, and what can it be used for?

Asked by

4 years ago

Hello, I am currently trying to study enumerations, but I am not quite understanding what the roblox dev website means. So I understand it takes a set of values, but what does it do with them? what type of values does it take? How do you know when you should use an enum or not? It would be much appreciated if you can explain it to me like I don't understand how it works, or any explanation at all really.

I personally don't know much about them but when you are setting a property using a string value and there is a LIMITED AMOUNT OF OPTIONS such as material or HumanoidHealthDIsplayType or maybe CameraType you should be able to type Enum. doing this will give you an option of enums and then after that it will give a list of values (assuming you are typing these in Roblox Studio)) BlackOrange3343 2676 — 4y

so enum is used for objects with limited amounts of values to it? If so, can you create your own object that requires an enum? dragonspade21 15 — 4y

1 answer

Answered by

VitroxVox 884

4 years ago

Enumeration

An “Enumeration”, or “Enum”, is a special data type that can take one of a set of values. What this means within ROBLOX, is there are set options that certain properties' values can be equal to, and these are enforced with the Enum data type.

The reason you may have missed a lesson on Enums, is because they can be assigned with strings as an overload. The reason you are confronting them now, is because to compare Enums you must write them out.

Material

One common example of an Enumeration is with the Material property of a BasePart.

Lets say you inserted a Partinto the workspace, and wanted to see what it's Materialwas.

print(workspace.Part.Material) --> Enum.Material.Plastic

Ahah! However, as I said previously, you can assign it either by it's Enum, or with a string as apart of an internal overload function

local part = workspace.Part

part.Material = "Grass"

print(part.Material == "Grass") --> false
print(part.Material == Enum.Material.Grass) --> true

part.Material = Enum.Material.DiamondPlate

KeyCode

Using your example, most people have to confront what an Enumis when they start using UserInputService, as there is a defined number of valid keys that can be pressed, so ROBLOX made an Enum for it.

local uis = game:GetService("UserInputService")

uis.InputBegan:Connect(function(obj)
    print(obj.KeyCode) --> Enum.KeyCode.G
    if obj.KeyCode == Enum.KeyCode.G then
        print("You are a G!") --> You are a G!
    end
end)

Conclusion

EnumItems are NOT strings, and when comparing them to anything you should take note their true value, otherwise you may find yourself stuck in a conditional statement.

They are useful for declaring a set number of options for a certain type of value.

Sources/Links - Enumeration - Enum Index

THIS IS NOT MY SOURCE NOR MY THING THIS WAS POSTED BY @amanda

I think I get it now, enum gets the options in which that value or object can be equal too correct? dragonspade21 15 — 4y

Uh it's an easier way to do stuff like "Enum.CameraType.Custom" VitroxVox 884 — 4y

How does enum work, and what can it be used for?

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