Open In App

C# | Type.GetEnumValues() Method

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025
Summarize
Comments
Improve
Suggest changes
Share
Like Article
Like
Report

Type.GetEnumValues() Method is used to return an array of the values of the constants in the current enumeration type.
Syntax: 

public virtual Array GetEnumValues ();


Return Value: This method returns an array which contains the values. The elements of the array are sorted by the binary values i.e. the unsigned values of the enumeration constants.
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: 

csharp
// C# program to demonstrate the
// Type.GetEnumValues() 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 an array of the values 
            // of the constants
            // By using GetEnumValues() method
            Array obj = type.GetEnumValues();

            // Display values of the constants
            Console.Write("Values of the constants is : {0} ", obj);
        }

        // 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: 
Values of the constants is : GFG+ABC[] 

 

Example 2: For ArgumentException

csharp
// C# program to demonstrate the
// Type.GetEnumValues() 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 = typeof(int);

            // Getting an array of the values 
            // of the constants
            // By using GetEnumValues() method
            Array obj = type.GetEnumValues();

            // Display values of the constants
            Console.Write("Values of the constants is : {0} ", obj);
        }

        // 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:
 


 


Similar Reads