Convert Enums to DataTables

Introduction

This is just a quick trick to convert an Enum into a DataTable, not sure if it would be of any practical use. There are no projects to download since is just a code snippet, copy and paste from this page and you are ready to go, well... let me know what you think about it.

Using the code

Ok here it goes, as I mentioned just copy and paste, remember that to call the function you will have to use the GetType on the enumeration i.e.:

• EnumToDataTable(GetType(EnumerationName) , "", "")

' Test enumeration

Private Enum ETestEnum
    Enum_Item_A = 0
    Enum_Item_B = 1
    Enum_Item_C = 2
End Enum

'--------------------------------------------------------

' Use this little function to test it

'--------------------------------------------------------


Private Sub Test()
    Dim oData As DataTable

    ' Notice that we must use 'GetType(Enumeration)'

    oData = EnumToDataTable(GetType(ETestEnum), "KEY", "VALUE")
    
End Sub

Now here comes the real code

'-------------------------------------------

' Desription: Convert a given enum into a datatable

'

' Parameters: EnumObject - type of the enum

'             KeyField   - name for the key column, if not 

'                 supplied it will be set to "KEY" 

'             ValueField - name for the vaue column, if not 

'                 supplied it will be set to "VALUE" 

'--------------------------------------------


Public Function EnumToDataTable(ByVal EnumObject As Type, _
   ByVal KeyField As String, ByVal ValueField As String) As DataTable
    
    Dim oData As DataTable = Nothing
    Dim oRow As DataRow = Nothing
    Dim oColumn As DataColumn = Nothing

    '-------------------------------------------------------------

    ' Sanity check

    If KeyField.Trim() = String.Empty Then
        KeyField = "KEY"
    End If

    If ValueField.Trim() = String.Empty Then
        ValueField = "VALUE"
    End If
    '-------------------------------------------------------------


    '-------------------------------------------------------------

    ' Create the DataTable

    oData = New DataTable

    oColumn = New DataColumn(KeyField, GetType(System.Int32))
    oData.Columns.Add(KeyField)

    oColumn = New DataColumn(ValueField, GetType(System.String))
    oData.Columns.Add(ValueField)
    '-------------------------------------------------------------


    '-------------------------------------------------------------

    ' Add the enum items to the datatable

    For Each iEnumItem As Object In [Enum].GetValues(EnumObject)
        oRow = oData.NewRow()
        oRow(KeyField) = CType(iEnumItem, Int32)
        oRow(ValueField) = StrConv(Replace(iEnumItem.ToString(), "_", " "), _
              VbStrConv.ProperCase)
        oData.Rows.Add(oRow)
    Next
    '-------------------------------------------------------------


    Return oData

End Function