A function for .Net to perform something like Enum.TryParse. See http://blog.davidtruxall.com/2005/12/08/generics-and-enums-or-enum-tryparse/

Enum.TryParse

/// <SUMMARY> 
/// Takes a string that represents an enum member  
/// and returns the enum member
/// </SUMMARY> 
/// <TYPEPARAM name="T">An Enum</TYPEPARAM>
/// <PARAM name="input">The string that is the enum member name, case does not matter</PARAM>
/// <PARAM name="returnValue">The value from the enum that matches the string, or the first value of the enum</PARAM>
/// <RETURNS>True when there is a match, false when not </RETURNS>
/// <REMARKS> 
/// - When no match the first item in the enum is returned 
/// - The where clause attempts to constrain the input of T at compile time to be an Enum /// 
/// </REMARKS> 
public static bool GetEnumValue<T>(string input, out T returnValue) where T : struct, IComparable, IFormattable, IConvertible
{
    if (Enum.IsDefined(typeof(T), input))
    {
        returnValue = (T)Enum.Parse(typeof(T), input, true);
        return true;
    }

    //input not found in the Enum, fill the out parameter
    // with the first item from the enum 
    var values = Enum.GetNames(typeof(T));
    returnValue = (T)Enum.Parse(typeof(T), values[0], true);
    return false;

}