n-way Switch

If I have an n-way rotary switch, for - say - some kind of mode of operation selection, as opposed to simple on / off, like this:

**broken link removed**

...then do I need n pins on a micro-controller to allow me to recognise the mode of operation requested by the user, or is there something 'smart' I can do to utilise a single input pin (one I'd alias as "MODE") and then check a value on it - not just high or low - by something else (probably provided to the micro-controller by something inbetween the rotary switch and the pin) that differentiates the fact that the switch is in position 0 to position n?

I use the 4051 analogue switch .. https://www.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/CD4051BC.PDF to do just this..

Three wire encoder for eight separate inputs... There is also a dual 4052 4 way

Use different value resistors in a voltage divider circuit, feed it into an analog input on the microcontroller.

Ford cruise controls in the 80's and 90's used the resistor ladder trick to get multiple selections with minimum wires.

May think of serial out put and encode / convert it to parallel..

What micro do you want to use?