java - Implementing enum for reverse compatibility -

an application running in java 1.8 have run in few boxes java 1.4. application uses lot of constants (thousands of them) , implemented using functional enums. best way make reverse compatible?

edit :

i have seen few answers none of them satisfactory. make clear trying achieve here please take @ small example below

public class sometype {     public enum type     {         error("allerror","4"),     input("allinput","5"),         offline("alloffline","6"),;          private final string type;         private final string desc;          type(string type, string desc)         {             this.type = type;             this.desc = desc;         }         public string gettype(){             return this.type;         }         public string getdesc(){             return this.type;         }     } } } 

which consumed like

for (sometype.type type: sometype.type.values())         {             if(nodevalue.equalsignorecase(type.gettype()))             {                 value=type.getdesc();                 break;             }         } 

so never compatible in 1.4 , have write lot of boilerplate code explained @gene in link provided him. there many classes holding large list of constants in them, feel need better approach. question search better solution.

you use interface in places consume enums - in way don't have change enum implementation in java 5+.

public interface type {    string getdesc();    string gettype(); } 

the interface implementation in java 5+ same:

public enum type implements type {     error("allerror","4"),     input("allinput","5"),     offline("alloffline","6"),;      private final string type;     private final string desc;      type(string type, string desc)     {         this.type = type;         this.desc = desc;     }     public string gettype(){         return this.type;     }     public string getdesc(){         return this.type;     } } 

in java 5- have implement type using either enum apache-commons or custom implementation ( best have code generator takes enum , converts pre-java 5 class)

the consuming code:

for (type type: types)     {         if(nodevalue.equalsignorecase(type.gettype()))         {             value=type.getdesc();             break;         }     } 

where types type[]. don't know if use switch statements, loops work fine.

so way wouldn't have have separate code enum consumers still need rewrite enum enum.