When adding a new ENUM column in create/edit mode in the Table Editor, the editor never behaves consistently or intuitively. When first selecting the ENUM column type on a new column, the user is immediately presented with an error with a red X that prevents completing the definition unless enum values are entered in the narrow space provided in the Data Type column in a very specific fashion: single-quoted, comma-separated values enclosed in parenthesis, all in the very narrow space available to do so in the Data Type column in the Table Editor.
The frustration here is that there is a Values property in the Column properties (right pane) of the table editor where properly defined enums appear (eventually) when the values are entered exactly as required (trying to perform any other action in the Table Editor window is disallowed otherwise). Why not allow the user to simply select ENUM data type and then allow the enum values to be entered in the Values dialog box mentioned earlier? This way, the IDE can properly format the ENUM column definition consistently upon saving of the table definition.
Secondly, when adding or modifying values in the popup dialog editor that appears for the Values property for ENUM columns, if the strings entered are not specified with double-quotes on first entry, validation errors occur.
Entering in values with single-quotes or no-quotes is not accepted - which is confusing - because when modifying an existing ENUM column with pre-existing values in the Values dialog, no quotes are required or are visible when the list is pre-populated with existing values. It appears that this dialog exhibits 2 different behaviors: one for ENUM columns that were previously defined earlier and the other mode (with different entry requirements) when first creating an enum column prior to saving.
It would be so much more helpful to have consistent behavior at all times for ENUM columns. Please advise and thank you.