c# - How to combine enumerations with flags? -

i have enumeration flags. want declare variable n different flags. n > 1 in case.

public enum biometype {     warm = 1,     hot = 2,     cold = 4,     intermediate = 8,      dry = 16,     moist = 32,     wet = 64, } 

okay - 1 variant cast each flag byte , cast result enum.

biometype btype = (biometype)((byte)biometype.hot + (byte)biometype.dry) 

but kinda messy - imho. is there more readable way combine flags?

simple, use binary "or" operator:

biometype btype = biometype.hot | biometype.dry; 

also, if values can combined it's best mark enum flags attribute indicate this:

[flags] public enum biometype {     warm = 1,     hot = 2,     cold = 4,     intermediate = 8,     dry = 16,     moist = 32,     wet = 64, } 

adding enumeration values bad number of reasons. makes easy produce value outside defined values, i.e.:

biometype btype = (biometype)((byte)biometype.wet + (byte)biometype.wet); 

while contrived, example yields value of 128, doesn't map known value. still compile , run, it's didn't build code handle values outside of defined , lead undefined behavior. however, if use pipe (or "binary or") operator:

biometype btype = biometype.wet | biometype.wet; 

the result still biometype.wet.

furthermore, using addition in question provides no intellisense in ide makes using enumeration unnecessarily more difficult.