c# - Difference between Enum.GetValues and Enum.GetNames

Question

I see the Enum.GetValues returns base Array type and Enum.GetNames returns a string array. But I don't understand how this is very significant. For an enum anyways, the values are strings.

But, there is an associated problem. The DataGridView ComboBox column databinds to an enum if I give the DataSource = Enum.GetValues, but it doesn't databind when I give it Enum.GetNames as a DataSource.

Answer 1

GetValues will return an Array of the underlying integer values for each item in the Enum.

GetNames will return a string array of the Names for the items in the enum.

The Array returned by GetValues implements IList while the string[] returned by GetNames does not, which explains the binding differences.