Show User Friendly Enum Value Into The Combobox

In my previous article, we learned how to bind a combobox directly with the enum. However, while binding a combobox with enum, one can face a common problem that enum values are not user-friendly for display. So here, we will learn a way to show user-friendly enum names to end users.

Please note that here, I have considered the implementation mentioned in the previous article, so please check that first before going further.

Step1

Update “EnumClass” as mentioned below. 

using System.ComponentModel;
public static class EnumClass
    {
        public enum Positions
        {
            Fresher = 1,
            [Description("Entry Level")]
            EntryLevel = 2,
            Junior = 3,
            [Description("Mid Level")]
            MidLevel = 4,
            Senior = 5,
            [Description("Team Lead")]
            TeamLead = 6,
            [Description("Project Manager")]
            ProjectManager = 7
        };
    }

As you can see here, we have added user-friendly description text for some of the enum values.

For Example, “EntryLevel” text is less user-Friendly then “Entry Level” for display.

Here, we have to add reference of “System.ComponentModel” namespace into the EnumClass File to define “Description” attribute above enum value.

Step 2

Now, we will implement IValueConverter to display enum description instead of enum value. For that, create a class called EnumDescriptionConverter as mentioned below.

using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Windows.Data;

public class EnumDescriptionConverter : IValueConverter
    {
        private string GetEnumDescription(Enum enumObj)
        {
            if (enumObj == null)
            {
                return string.Empty;
            }
            FieldInfo fieldInfo = enumObj.GetType().GetField(enumObj.ToString());

            object[] attribArray = fieldInfo.GetCustomAttributes(false);

            if (attribArray.Length == 0)
            {
                return enumObj.ToString();
            }
            else
            {
                DescriptionAttribute attrib = attribArray[0] as DescriptionAttribute;
                return attrib.Description;
            }
        }

        object IValueConverter.Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
        {
            Enum myEnum = (Enum)value;
            if (myEnum == null)
            {
                return null;
            }
            string description = GetEnumDescription(myEnum);
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(description))
            {
                return description;
            }
            return myEnum.ToString();
        }

        object IValueConverter.ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
        {
            return string.Empty;
        }
    }

We are going to use this converter with binding. In addition, this converter will return description string to bound control instead of original enum value if defined.

Step 3

Now, we will move to XAML part to apply this converter with binding to display description instead of original enum value. First, we will add reference of implemented IValueConverter as a resource as mentioned below to use it in XAML file.

<Window.Resources>
        <local:EnumDescriptionConverter x:Key="descConverter"></local:EnumDescriptionConverter>
</Window.Resources>

Then as per the previous article, we have bound combobox with enum values as mentioned below.

<ComboBox Height="25" ItemsSource="{Binding Source={StaticResource enmPositions}}" Margin="10,2,10,0"></ComboBox>

Now, we will add converter with ItemSource as mentioned below,

<ComboBox Height="25" ItemsSource="{Binding Source={StaticResource enmPositions}}" Margin="10,2,10,0">
                <ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
                    <DataTemplate>
                        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource descConverter}}"></TextBlock>
                    </DataTemplate>
                </ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
            </ComboBox>

That is it; we are done with the implementation. Run the project and see the result. It should be as mentioned in the below screenshot.