Enum.Parse Method converts string to enumerated object
<Flags> Enum Colors As Integer None = 0 Red = 1 Green = 2 Blue = 4 End Enum Module Example Public Sub Main() Dim colorStrings() As String = {"0", "2", "8", "blue", "Blue", "Yellow", "Red, Green"} For Each colorString As String In colorStrings Try Dim colorValue As Colors = CType([Enum].Parse(GetType(Colors), colorString, True), Colors) If [Enum].IsDefined(GetType(Colors), colorValue) Or colorValue.ToString().Contains(",") Then Console.WriteLine("Converted '{0}' to {1}.", colorString, colorValue.ToString()) Else Console.WriteLine("{0} is not an underlying value of the Colors enumeration.", colorString) End If Catch e As ArgumentException Console.WriteLine("{0} is not a member of the Colors enumeration.", colorString) End Try Next End Sub End Module