How can I use a string as argument for a method that takes an enum?

Question

I have a class TestCase. Inside of this I have the inner class Test. Inside the class enum OwnerType are setters and getters of the enum.

public static final class Test{
    public enum OwnerType {
        User("User"), 
        Role("Role");
    }

    public OwnerType getOwnerType() {
        return m_ownerType;
    }

    public void setOwnerType(OwnerType m_ownerType) {
        this.m_ownerType = m_ownerType;
    }
}

Test is the inner class in my case. I am trying to set the value with JSON key

private Test createTest(JSONObject obj) {
    Test test = new Test();
    test.setOwnerType(JSONUtil.getStringValue(obj, JSON_KEY)); // Gives error
    return test;
}  

It gives an error

The method setOwnerType(TestCase.Test.OwnerType) in the type TestCase.Test is not applicable for the arguments (String).

How can I convert the value or set it to the createTest method?

Answer 1

You have to use the OwnerType#valueOf(String name) method :

String name = JSONUtil.getStringValue(obj, JSON_KEY);
test.setOwnerType(Test.OwnerType.valueOf(name));

Answer 2

You have to parse it into an enum first.

Try this instead:

test.setOwnerType(Test.OwnerType.valueOf(JSONUtil.getStringValue(obj, JSON_KEY)));

Note that you can either do Enum.valueOf(YourEnum.class, stringValue) and YourEnum.valueOf(stringValue).