To use enum types as the core types for type shortcuts, the designer has to know where to load the enum types from. It uses type imports files which define which assemblies contain enum types. After type import files are loaded, the enums are available in the Type Shortcuts of the project and you can define new type shortcuts based on them. As all target frameworks support enum types directly, you don't need type converters to work with enum types: it's enough to import the enum types in the designer using type import files.
TypeImport files, with the extension .typeimports are small XML files which are stored in TypeConverter folders (either the default type converter folder of the designer or the additional type converter folder specified in the Project Properties. The format is as follows:
<typeImports> <typeImport typeName="" assemblyFile=""/> </typeImports>
The XML is stored in .typeimports files which are all read at project load (at the same time when Type Converters are read from the same folder(s)). typeName is the name to use to obtain a Type instance using the System.Type class. assemblyFile is the filename + full path, which points to an assembly to load which contains the type specified. If the type isn't an enum type, the type is ignored. If assemblyFile is omitted, the system will try to instantiate the type without the filename, e.g. through a type-lookup in the current appDomain.