Why my custom enum property becomes an integer property after restart blender?

Question

I try to add custom enum properties to a bone in order to change sub-surf levels and masking vertex groups of a mesh. Every time I run the script, it assigns the property like the following:

Enum property state after running the script

When I close the blender, restart it and open up the file, the properties appear in integer values like:

Note: I've figured out that this does not happen, if I reopen the file without restarting blender.

Why does this happen?

---

.blend files (including the script in EnumPropCheck.blend)

Answer 1

If only a single .blend uses your property, tick the Register checkbox for the script in Text Editor. The text datablock name must end with .py!

The script will be run when the .blend is loaded. Note that auto-run is disabled by default. Click Reload Trusted in the Info header and confirm (Revert).

import bpy

def my_enum_cb(self, context):
    print(self, self.my_enum, context)

bpy.types.PoseBone.my_enum = bpy.props.EnumProperty(
    items=(
        ('identi_1', 'Name 1', 'Descript 1'),
        ('identi_2', 'Name 2', 'Descript 2'),
        ('identi_3', 'Name 3', 'Descript 3'),
    ),
    name="My Enum",
    default="identi_2",
    update=my_enum_cb
)

bpy.data.objects["Armature"].pose.bones["Bone"].my_enum = "identi_3"

If you need this property to be globally available, turn the code into an addon, install and enable it. Don't forget to save user prefs after enabling it, or you will have to tick the checkbox every time you start Blender:

bl_info = {
    "name": "My Enum Addon",
    "author": "Your Name Here",
    "version": (1, 0),
    "blender": (2, 75, 0),
    "location": "",
    "description": "",
    "warning": "",
    "wiki_url": "",
    "category": "Rigging",
}

import bpy

# Define our own panel (optional)
class HelloWorldPanel(bpy.types.Panel):
    """Creates a Panel in the Bone properties window"""
    bl_label = "Hello World Panel"
    bl_idname = "OBJECT_PT_hello"
    bl_space_type = 'PROPERTIES'
    bl_region_type = 'WINDOW'
    bl_context = "bone"

    def draw(self, context):
        layout = self.layout

        pbone = context.active_pose_bone
        if pbone is not None:
            layout.prop(pbone, "my_enum")
        else:
            layout.label("No active PoseBone.")


def my_enum_cb(self, context):
    print(self, self.my_enum, context)


def register():
    bpy.types.PoseBone.my_enum = bpy.props.EnumProperty(
        items=(
            ('identi_1', 'Name 1', 'Descript 1'),
            ('identi_2', 'Name 2', 'Descript 2'),
            ('identi_3', 'Name 3', 'Descript 3'),
        ),
        name="My Enum",
        default="identi_2",
        update=my_enum_cb
    )
    bpy.utils.register_module(__name__)


def unregister():
    bpy.utils.unregister_module(__name__)
    del bpy.types.PoseBone.my_enum


if __name__ == "__main__":
    register()

    # This is not supposed to be done in an addon.
    # Every access to bpy.data and bpy.contet during init is prohibited.
    #bpy.data.objects["Armature"].pose.bones["Bone"].my_enum = "identi_3"