Class Enum

lib/java/lang/Enum.java:27–206

The superclass of all enumerated types. Actual enumeration types inherit from this class, but extending this class does not make a class an enumeration type, since the compiler needs to generate special information for it.

 * type, since the compiler needs to generate special information for it.
 */
public abstract class Enum<E extends Enum<E>> implements Serializable,
        Comparable<E> {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = -4300926546619394005L;

    private final String name;

    private final int ordinal;

    /**
     * Constructor for constants of enum subtypes.
     * 
     * @param name
     *            the enum constant's declared name.
     * @param ordinal
     *            the enum constant's ordinal, which corresponds to its position
     *            in the enum declaration, starting at zero.
     */
    protected Enum(String name, int ordinal) {
        this.name = name;
        this.ordinal = ordinal;
    }

    /**
     * Returns the name of this enum constant. The name is the field as it
     * appears in the {@code enum} declaration.
     * 
     * @return the name of this enum constant.
     * @see #toString()
     */
    public final String name() {
        return name;
    }

    /**
     * Returns the position of the enum constant in the declaration. The first
     * constant has an ordinal value of zero.
     * 
     * @return the ordinal value of this enum constant.
     */
    public final int ordinal() {
        return ordinal;
    }

    /**
     * Returns a string containing a concise, human-readable description of this
     * object. In this case, the enum constant's name is returned.
     * 
     * @return a printable representation of this object.
     */
    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return name;
    }

    /**
     * Compares this object with the specified object and indicates if they are
     * equal. In order to be equal, {@code object} must be identical to this