Custom checkbox field for Enum C# Type

Question

My problem:

The code in solution contains an Enum type that is used to render some view and needs to be configured for different items.

I am looking for a way to create a custom checkbox field to be able to select multiple enum values.

Assumptions:

• Populate the custom field using Enum values from code
• Avoid creating items in Sitecore that would reflect this Enum to avoid code duplication
• Provide an Enum Type by filling the Data Source field in Template.
• Make it working :)

Is there a simple way to create it?

Best regards

Answer 1

I have managed to create a solution for that.

Please find code below:

public class EnumCheckList : Checklist
{
    public string Source { get; set; }

    protected override void OnLoad(EventArgs e)
    {
        if (Sitecore.Context.ClientPage.IsEvent)
        {
            ReadCheckedItemsFromRequest();
        }
        else
        {
            if (Controls.Count != 0 || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Source))
                return;

            try
            {
                var enumType = Type.GetType(Source);
                if (enumType == null)
                    return;

                RenderCheckListItems(enumType);
            }
            catch
            {
                Controls.Add(new ListItem() {Header = "Could not load enum for " + Source});
                return;
            }
        }

        base.OnLoad(e);
    }

    private void RenderCheckListItems(Type enumType)
    {
        foreach (Enum val in Enum.GetValues(enumType))
        {
            var item = new ChecklistItem()
            {
                ID = GetIdForEnum(val, enumType),
                Header = val.GetDescription(),
                Value = val.ToString(),
                Checked = this.Value.ToLower().Contains(val.ToString().ToLower())
            };
            this.Controls.Add(item);
        }
    }

    private void ReadCheckedItemsFromRequest()
    {
        var values = this.Context.Request.Form.AllKeys
            .Where(key => key.HasValue())
            .Where(key => key.Contains(this.ID))
            .Select(GetValueFromID)
            .ToList();

        var value = string.Join(",", values);

        Sitecore.Context.ClientPage.Modified = Value != value;
        if (value != Value)
            this.Value = value;
    }

    private string GetIdForEnum(Enum item, Type enumType)
    {
        return this.ID + "." + enumType.Namespace + "." + enumType.Name + "_" + item;
    }

    private string GetValueFromID(string id)
    {
        return id.Substring(id.IndexOf("_", StringComparison.InvariantCulture) + 1);
    }
}

Hope this will help anyone.

Best regards