Iterating an Enum using a function

I have this code to extract the members from an Enum.

Dim items As Array
        items = System.Enum.GetValues(GetType(someEnum))
        Dim item As String
        For Each item In items
            MessageBox.Show(item)
        Next

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How can I turn this into a function that takes the Enum Name as a string ?
WatersideAsked:
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ste5anSenior DeveloperCommented:
It's quite easy:

Namespace Test
    Enum EnumTest
        etOne
        etTwo
        etThree
    End Enum
End Namespace

Module Module1
    Sub Main()

        Dim item As String

        For Each item In System.Enum.GetValues(GetType(Test.EnumTest))
            Console.WriteLine(item)
        Next

        For Each item In System.Enum.GetNames(GetType(Test.EnumTest))
            Console.WriteLine(item)
        Next

        Dim enumValue As Test.EnumTest

        enumValue = System.Enum.Parse(GetType(Test.EnumTest), "etTwo")
        Console.WriteLine(System.Enum.GetName(GetType(Test.EnumTest), enumValue))

        enumValue = System.Enum.Parse(Type.GetType("Console_VB.Test.EnumTest", True), "etTwo")
        Console.WriteLine(System.Enum.GetName(Type.GetType("Console_VB.Test.EnumTest"), enumValue))

        Console.WriteLine("Done.")
        Console.ReadLine()

    End Sub
End Module

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You need only the fully qualified name of the type.
WatersideAuthor Commented:
I need to pass the Name of the Enum as a string though.
ste5anSenior DeveloperCommented:
Have you tested my example? Why should 

Type.GetType("Console_VB.Test.EnumTest", True)

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kaufmed   (⌐■_■)Shot Through the Heart, and You're to Blame, You Give vars a Bad NameCommented: 
Module Module1

    Sub Main()
        Dim c As ConsoleColor = GetEnumByName("test")
    End Sub

    Function GetEnumByName(ByVal name As String) As ConsoleColor
        For Each item In [Enum].GetNames(GetType(ConsoleColor))
            If String.Equals(name, item, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) Then
                Return DirectCast([Enum].Parse(GetType(ConsoleColor), name), ConsoleColor)
            End If
        Next

        Return DirectCast(-1, ConsoleColor) ' You may want to change this to some other default value
    End Function

End Module

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I'm using ConsoleColor here, but you can change that to match your enum of concern. Also, I've specified a default return of -1 if the enum value isn't found, but you can change that to a more fitting value. If you'd rather have Nothing returned, then you'll need to change the function definition to return a Nullable enum instead:

Module Module1

    Sub Main()
        Dim c As ConsoleColor = GetEnumByName("test")
    End Sub

    Function GetEnumByName(ByVal name As String) As Nullable(Of ConsoleColor)
        For Each item In [Enum].GetNames(GetType(ConsoleColor))
            If String.Equals(name, item, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) Then
                Return DirectCast([Enum].Parse(GetType(ConsoleColor), name), ConsoleColor)
            End If
        Next

        Return Nothing
    End Function

End Module

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WatersideAuthor Commented:
Ah maybe a re-phrase is in order ?

I want to return the Members of a given Enum.

So with Ste5an's EnumTest...

Function getEnumMembersByEnumName(enumName As String)

Would give..

        etOne
        etTwo
        etThree
kaufmed   (⌐■_■)Shot Through the Heart, and You're to Blame, You Give vars a Bad NameCommented:
Using ste5an's example, are you saying that your function would receive "EnumTest" as input?

e.g.

Function SomeFunction(ByVal enumName As String) As String()
...

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ste5anSenior DeveloperCommented:
It's alread in my sample:

System.Enum.GetNames(Type.GetType(enumName , True))

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Just make your function return an array and add proper exception handling when necessary.
WatersideAuthor Commented:
The Enum is defined a Public in a User Control.

I can use Ste5an's

Type.GetType("enumTheme", True)

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from within the control, but when I try to use it from the page that the control is in I get an ArguementNullExeption.  I've tried using assembly.namespace.enum but no luck :(
ste5anSenior DeveloperCommented:
Well, getting the full qualified name right is not that easy.

Use ?GetType(yourEnum).AssemblyQualifiedName in the immediate window.

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WatersideAuthor Commented:
Thanks
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