MSVC enum debugging

Question

Is there a quick way of outputting the names of enumerated values? I suppose you know what I mean, and at all this isn't possible as of course all of this data becomes irrelevant during compile process, but I'm using MSVC in debugging mode, so is it possible?

Answer 1

Unfortunately not. All of the enum names are lost by the compiler. The PDB file has them, so the debugger can work it out, but otherwise the only way to do it would be to write a function that does a switch and returns a string.

Answer 2

I just put the enum names in a lookup table (or you could use a map<>) with the enum value as a key and have a function perform the lookup.

It's low-tech, but usually not too much of a pain.

In some projects I'd have a weird header/macro arrangement that could build the enum definition using a single declaration-like item per enum name. My opinon on how that technique works wavers back and forth between "handy" or "kludgy" though.

Answer 3

Metamacros cause all sorts of havoc on Intellisense and the like, but they can make this task easy...

#define MY_ENUMS(e_) \
   e_(Enum_A), \
   e_(Enum_B), \
   e_(Enum_C), \

#define ENUM_EXPANDER(e_)  e
enum MyEnums
{
   MY_ENUMS(ENUM_EXPANDER)
   CountOfMyEnums
};

#define STRING_EXPANDER(e_)  #e_
const char* g_myEnumStrings[] =
{
   MY_ENUMS(STRING_EXPANDER)
};

Possibly even

#define CASE_EXPANDER(e_)  case e_: return #e_;
const char* GetEnumName(MyEnums e)
{
   switch (e)
   {
      MY_ENUMS(CASE_EXPANDER)

   default:
      return "Invalid enum value";
   }
}

Different "expander macros" can be used to fill maps or other data structures of your choice. I've used this sort of horror to parse enums out of config files (so the person authoring the config file could use the enum rather than the index).

Answer 4

This is common C++ problem, that is solved using "Typesafe enum pattern". Usually this is done using some crazy precompiler definitions, or code generators. Quick search for "Typesafe enum pattern C++" can give you these ways. Personally, I have my own code generator for C++ enumerations, which is executed as MSVC custom build step for h-files with enumerations.