Convert HardwareCounter from enum to static class with const strings

[Copilot]

Converts HardwareCounter from an enum to a static class with const string fields, following the Column class pattern. This is a breaking change as requested.

Changes

Core API:

• HardwareCounter is now a static class with const string fields instead of enum values
• ToShortName() and TheGreaterTheBetter() converted from extension methods to static methods accepting strings
• Added All property returning IReadOnlyList<string> of all counter names

Type signatures updated throughout:

• HardwareCountersAttribute constructor: HardwareCounter[] → string[]
• IConfig.GetHardwareCounters(): IEnumerable<HardwareCounter> → IEnumerable<string>
• PmcStats.Counters: IReadOnlyDictionary<HardwareCounter, ...> → IReadOnlyDictionary<string, ...>
• PreciseMachineCounter.Counter: HardwareCounter → string
• Config builders, parsers, and diagnostic components updated accordingly

Usage

Before and after usage remains identical at call sites:

// Still works the same way
[HardwareCounters(
    HardwareCounter.BranchMispredictions,
    HardwareCounter.CacheMisses)]
public class MyBenchmark { }

// Config API
config.AddHardwareCounters(HardwareCounter.CacheMisses);

// Values are now strings instead of enum members
string counter = HardwareCounter.Timer; // "Timer"

Users storing HardwareCounter as a type parameter or using it in generic constraints will need to update to string.

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

• 1s1vsblobprodcus386.vsblob.vsassets.io
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet build tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests.csproj -c Release ACCEPT (dns block)
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet build tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests.csproj -c Release (dns block)
• 7tjvsblobprodcus341.vsblob.vsassets.io
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet build tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests.csproj -c Release (dns block)
• 8xbvsblobprodcus382.vsblob.vsassets.io
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet build samples/BenchmarkDotNet.Samples/BenchmarkDotNet.Samples.csproj -c Release (dns block)
• tphvsblobprodcus375.vsblob.vsassets.io
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet build samples/BenchmarkDotNet.Samples/BenchmarkDotNet.Samples.csproj -c Release (dns block)
• u3hvsblobprodcus371.vsblob.vsassets.io
  • Triggering command: /usr/bin/dotnet dotnet build samples/BenchmarkDotNet.Samples/BenchmarkDotNet.Samples.csproj -c Release (dns block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

• Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
• Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

Original prompt

I think we should keep HardwareCounter, but take a breaking change and change it to a class instead of enum, with const strings for the existing options (similar to Column class).

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