C# | Type.GetEnumNames() Method

Type.GetEnumNames() Method is used to return the names of the members of the current enumeration type.

Syntax:

public virtual string[] GetEnumNames ();

Returns: This method returns an array which contains the names of the members of the enumeration.
Exception: This method will give ArgumentException if the current type is not an enumeration.

Below programs illustrate the use of the above-discussed method:

Example 1:

C#

// C# program to demonstrate the
// Type.GetEnumNames(Object) Method
using System;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Reflection;

class GFG {

    // Defining enum ABC
    enum ABC { A,
               B,
               C,
               D,
               E,
               F }

    // Main Method
    public static void Main()
    {

        // try-catch block to
        // handle exceptions
        try {

            // Creating and initializing object
            // of ABC with instance of enum ABC
            ABC a = ABC.A;

            // Declaring and initializing
            // object of Type
            Type type = a.GetType();

            // Getting Array of constants
            // By using GetEnumNames() method
            string[] obj = type.GetEnumNames();

            // Display Array obj
            Console.WriteLine("The constants are as follow :-");
            for (int i = 0; i < obj.Length; i++)
                Console.Write("{0} ", obj[i]);
        }

        // catch ArgumentException here
        catch (ArgumentException e)
        {
            Console.Write("The current type is not an enumeration.");
            Console.Write("Exception Thrown: ");
            Console.Write("{0}", e.GetType(), e.Message);
        }
    }
}

Output:

The constants are as follow :-
A B C D E F

Example 2: For ArgumentException

C#

// C# program to demonstrate the
// Type.GetEnumNames(Object) Method
using System;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Reflection;

class GFG {

    // Defining enum ABC
    enum ABC { A,
               B,
               C,
               D,
               E,
               F }

    // Main Method
    public static void Main()
    {

        // Creating try-catch block
        // to handle exceptions
        try {

            // Declaring and initializing
            // object of Type
            Type type = typeof(int);

            // Getting Array of constants
            // By using GetEnumNames() method
            string[] obj = type.GetEnumNames();

            // Display Array obj
            Console.WriteLine("The constants are as follow :-");
            for (int i = 0; i < obj.Length; i++)
                Console.Write("{0} ", obj[i]);
        }

        // catch ArgumentException here
        catch (ArgumentException e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("The current type is not an enumeration.");
            Console.Write("Exception Thrown: ");
            Console.Write("{0}", e.GetType(), e.Message);
        }
    }
}

Output:

The current type is not an enumeration.
Exception Thrown: System.ArgumentException

Reference:

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.type.getenumnames?view=netframework-4.8