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Document valid label formats (#12302)
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‎reference/5.1/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Enum.md‎

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---
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description: The `enum` statement is used to declare an enumeration. An enumeration is a distinct type that consists of a set of named labels called the enumerator list.
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Locale: en-US
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ms.date: 11/20/2023
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ms.date: 08/20/2025
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online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_enum?view=powershell-5.1&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
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schema: 2.0.0
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title: about_Enum
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spelling errors.
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Enumerations are internally represented as integral value types with a starting
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value of zero. PowerShell enumerations use **System.Int32** (`[int]`) as the
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underlying type. By default, PowerShell assigns the first label in the list the
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value zero. By default, PowerShell assigns the remaining labels with
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consecutive integers.
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value of zero. By default, PowerShell enumerations use **System.Int32**
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(`[int]`) as the underlying type. By default, PowerShell assigns the first
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label in the list the value zero. By default, PowerShell assigns the remaining
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labels with consecutive integers.
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## Syntax
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In the definition, you can give labels any integer value. Labels with no value
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assigned take the next integer value.
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## Syntax
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Enum labels can only contain letters, underscores and digits, but must not
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start with a digit. The label can't be a quoted string; it must parse as a
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bareword string. Labels are parsed as strings not keywords. Therefore, it's
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possible to create a label that's the same name as a language keyword (such as
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`return`).
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Enumerations use the following syntaxes:
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### Integer enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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### Flag enumeration definition syntax
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- Integer enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
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...
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...
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}
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```
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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- Flag enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
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...
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...
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}
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```
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### Enumeration access syntax
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- Enumeration access syntax
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```Syntax
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[<enum-name>]::<label>
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```
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```Syntax
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[<enum-name>]::<label>
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```
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## Examples
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‎reference/7.4/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Enum.md‎

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11
---
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description: The `enum` statement is used to declare an enumeration. An enumeration is a distinct type that consists of a set of named labels called the enumerator list.
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Locale: en-US
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ms.date: 11/20/2023
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ms.date: 08/20/2025
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online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_enum?view=powershell-7.4&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
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schema: 2.0.0
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title: about_Enum
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label in the list the value zero. By default, PowerShell assigns the remaining
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labels with consecutive integers.
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## Syntax
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In the definition, you can give labels any integer value. Labels with no value
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assigned take the next integer value.
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## Syntax
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Enum labels can only contain letters, underscores and digits, but must not
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start with a digit. The label can't be a quoted string; it must parse as a
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bareword string. Labels are parsed as strings not keywords. Therefore, it's
37+
possible to create a label that's the same name as a language keyword (such as
38+
`return`).
3339

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Enumerations use the following syntaxes:
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### Integer enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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### Specific underlying type enumeration definition syntax
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- Integer enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> : <underlying-type-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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### Flag enumeration definition syntax
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- Specific underlying type enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
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...
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...
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}
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```
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> : <underlying-type-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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- Flag enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
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...
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...
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}
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```
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### Enumeration access syntax
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- Enumeration access syntax
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```Syntax
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[<enum-name>]::<label>
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```
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```Syntax
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[<enum-name>]::<label>
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```
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## Examples
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‎reference/7.5/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Enum.md‎

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
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---
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description: The `enum` statement is used to declare an enumeration. An enumeration is a distinct type that consists of a set of named labels called the enumerator list.
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Locale: en-US
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ms.date: 11/20/2023
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ms.date: 08/20/2025
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online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_enum?view=powershell-7.5&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
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schema: 2.0.0
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title: about_Enum
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label in the list the value zero. By default, PowerShell assigns the remaining
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labels with consecutive integers.
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## Syntax
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In the definition, you can give labels any integer value. Labels with no value
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assigned take the next integer value.
3133

32-
## Syntax
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Enum labels can only contain letters, underscores and digits, but must not
35+
start with a digit. The label can't be a quoted string; it must parse as a
36+
bareword string. Labels are parsed as strings not keywords. Therefore, it's
37+
possible to create a label that's the same name as a language keyword (such as
38+
`return`).
3339

3440
Enumerations use the following syntaxes:
3541

36-
### Integer enumeration definition syntax
37-
38-
```Syntax
39-
[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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### Specific underlying type enumeration definition syntax
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- Integer enumeration definition syntax
4643

47-
```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> : <underlying-type-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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### Flag enumeration definition syntax
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- Specific underlying type enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
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...
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...
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}
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```
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> : <underlying-type-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
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}
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```
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- Flag enumeration definition syntax
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
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...
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...
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}
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```
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### Enumeration access syntax
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- Enumeration access syntax
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```Syntax
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[<enum-name>]::<label>
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```
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```Syntax
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[<enum-name>]::<label>
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```
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## Examples
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‎reference/7.6/Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Enum.md‎

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Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
11
---
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description: The `enum` statement is used to declare an enumeration. An enumeration is a distinct type that consists of a set of named labels called the enumerator list.
33
Locale: en-US
4-
ms.date: 11/20/2023
4+
ms.date: 08/20/2025
55
online version: https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_enum?view=powershell-7.6&WT.mc_id=ps-gethelp
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schema: 2.0.0
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title: about_Enum
@@ -26,49 +26,55 @@ value of zero. By default, PowerShell enumerations use **System.Int32**
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label in the list the value zero. By default, PowerShell assigns the remaining
2727
labels with consecutive integers.
2828

29+
## Syntax
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2931
In the definition, you can give labels any integer value. Labels with no value
3032
assigned take the next integer value.
3133

32-
## Syntax
34+
Enum labels can only contain letters, underscores and digits, but must not
35+
start with a digit. The label can't be a quoted string; it must parse as a
36+
bareword string. Labels are parsed as strings not keywords. Therefore, it's
37+
possible to create a label that's the same name as a language keyword (such as
38+
`return`).
3339

3440
Enumerations use the following syntaxes:
3541

36-
### Integer enumeration definition syntax
37-
38-
```Syntax
39-
[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
40-
<label> [= <int-value>]
41-
...
42-
}
43-
```
44-
45-
### Specific underlying type enumeration definition syntax
42+
- Integer enumeration definition syntax
4643

47-
```Syntax
48-
[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> : <underlying-type-name> {
49-
<label> [= <int-value>]
50-
...
51-
}
52-
```
44+
```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
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...
48+
}
49+
```
5350

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### Flag enumeration definition syntax
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- Specific underlying type enumeration definition syntax
5552

56-
```Syntax
57-
[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
58-
<label 0> [= 1]
59-
<label 1> [= 2]
60-
<label 2> [= 4]
61-
<label 3> [= 8]
62-
...
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...
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}
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```
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] enum <enum-name> : <underlying-type-name> {
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<label> [= <int-value>]
56+
...
57+
}
58+
```
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- Flag enumeration definition syntax
61+
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```Syntax
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[[<attribute>]...] [Flags()] enum <enum-name>[ : <underlying-type-name>] {
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<label 0> [= 1]
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<label 1> [= 2]
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<label 2> [= 4]
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<label 3> [= 8]
68+
...
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...
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}
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```
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67-
### Enumeration access syntax
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- Enumeration access syntax
6874

69-
```Syntax
70-
[<enum-name>]::<label>
71-
```
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```Syntax
76+
[<enum-name>]::<label>
77+
```
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## Examples
7480

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