python - How to use enums as a choice field in django model

Question

I have a model class of which I want two fields to be a choice fields, so to populate those choices I am using an enum as listed below

#models.py
class Transaction(models.Model):
    trasaction_status = models.CharField(max_length=255, choices=TransactionStatus.choices())
    transaction_type = models.CharField(max_length=255, choices=TransactionType.choices())

#enums.py
class TransactionType(Enum):

    IN = "IN",
    OUT = "OUT"

    @classmethod
    def choices(cls):
        print(tuple((i.name, i.value) for i in cls))
        return tuple((i.name, i.value) for i in cls)

class TransactionStatus(Enum):

    INITIATED = "INITIATED",
    PENDING = "PENDING",
    COMPLETED = "COMPLETED",
    FAILED = "FAILED"
    ERROR = "ERROR"

    @classmethod
    def choices(cls):
        print(tuple((i.name, i.value) for i in cls))
        return tuple((i.name, i.value) for i in cls)

However, when I am trying to access this model through admin I am getting the following error :

Django Version: 1.11
Exception Type: ValueError
Exception Value:    
too many values to unpack (expected 2)

I followed two articles that described how to use enums:

• https://hackernoon.com/using-enum-as-model-field-choice-in-django-92d8b97aaa63
• https://blog.richard.do/2014/02/18/how-to-use-enums-for-django-field-choices/

question from:https://stackoverflow.com/questions/54802616/how-to-use-enums-as-a-choice-field-in-django-model

Answer 1

For Django 2.x and lower:

You define an Enum by setting the various options as documented here:

class TransactionStatus(Enum):

    INITIATED = "INITIATED"
    PENDING = "PENDING"
    COMPLETED = "COMPLETED"
    FAILED = "FAILED"
    ERROR = "ERROR"

Note there are no commas! This allows you later in your code to refer to TransactionStatus.ERROR or TransactionStatus.PENDING.

The rest of your code is correct. You get the choices by creating tuples of option.name, option.value.

UPDATE: For Django 3.x and higher, use the built-in types TextChoices, IntegerChoices and Choices as described here. That way you don't have to construct the choices tuple yourself.