how to check if string value is in the Enum list?

In my query string, I have an age variable ?age=New_Born.

Is there a way I can check if this string value New_Born is in my Enum list

[Flags]
public enum Age
{
    New_Born = 1,
    Toddler = 2,
    Preschool = 4,
    Kindergarten = 8
}

I could use if statement for right now, but if my Enum list gets bigger. I want to find a better way to do it. I am thinking about to use Linq, just not sure how to do it.

You can use:

 Enum.IsDefined(typeof(Age), youragevariable)

You can use the Enum.TryParse method:

Age age;
if (Enum.TryParse<Age>("New_Born", out age))
{
    // You now have the value in age 
}

You can use the TryParse method that returns true if it successful:

Age age;

if(Enum.TryParse<Age>("myString", out age))
{
   //Here you can use age
}

I've got a handy extension method that uses TryParse, as IsDefined is case-sensitive.

public static bool IsParsable<T>(this string value) where T : struct
{
    return Enum.TryParse<T>(value, true, out _);
}

To parse the age:

Age age;
if (Enum.TryParse(typeof(Age), "New_Born", out age))
  MessageBox.Show("Defined");  // Defined for "New_Born, 1, 4 , 8, 12"

To see if it is defined:

if (Enum.IsDefined(typeof(Age), "New_Born"))
   MessageBox.Show("Defined");

Depending on how you plan to use the Age enum, flags may not be the right thing. As you probably know, [Flags] indicates you want to allow multiple values (as in a bit mask). IsDefined will return false for Age.Toddler | Age.Preschool because it has multiple values.

You should use Enum.TryParse to achive your goal

This is a example:

[Flags]
private enum TestEnum
{
	Value1 = 1,
	Value2 = 2
}

static void Main(string[] args)
{
	var enumName = "Value1";
	TestEnum enumValue;

	if (!TestEnum.TryParse(enumName, out enumValue))
	{
		throw new Exception("Wrong enum value");
	}

	// enumValue contains parsed value
}

I know this is an old thread, but here's a slightly different approach using attributes on the Enumerates and then a helper class to find the enumerate that matches.

This way you could have multiple mappings on a single enumerate.

public enum Age
{
    [Metadata("Value", "New_Born")]
    [Metadata("Value", "NewBorn")]
    New_Born = 1,
    [Metadata("Value", "Toddler")]
    Toddler = 2,
    [Metadata("Value", "Preschool")]
    Preschool = 4,
    [Metadata("Value", "Kindergarten")]
    Kindergarten = 8
}

With my helper class like this

public static class MetadataHelper
{
    public static string GetFirstValueFromMetaDataAttribute<T>(this T value, string metaDataDescription)
    {
        return GetValueFromMetaDataAttribute(value, metaDataDescription).FirstOrDefault();
    }

    private static IEnumerable<string> GetValueFromMetaDataAttribute<T>(T value, string metaDataDescription)
    {
        var attribs =
            value.GetType().GetField(value.ToString()).GetCustomAttributes(typeof (MetadataAttribute), true);
        return attribs.Any()
            ? (from p in (MetadataAttribute[]) attribs
                where p.Description.ToLower() == metaDataDescription.ToLower()
                select p.MetaData).ToList()
            : new List<string>();
    }

    public static List<T> GetEnumeratesByMetaData<T>(string metadataDescription, string value)
    {
        return
            typeof (T).GetEnumValues().Cast<T>().Where(
                enumerate =>
                    GetValueFromMetaDataAttribute(enumerate, metadataDescription).Any(
                        p => p.ToLower() == value.ToLower())).ToList();
    }

    public static List<T> GetNotEnumeratesByMetaData<T>(string metadataDescription, string value)
    {
        return
            typeof (T).GetEnumValues().Cast<T>().Where(
                enumerate =>
                    GetValueFromMetaDataAttribute(enumerate, metadataDescription).All(
                        p => p.ToLower() != value.ToLower())).ToList();
    }
   
}

you can then do something like

var enumerates = MetadataHelper.GetEnumeratesByMetaData<Age>("Value", "New_Born");

And for completeness here is the attribute:

 [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Field, Inherited = false, AllowMultiple = true)]
public class MetadataAttribute : Attribute
{
    public MetadataAttribute(string description, string metaData = "")
    {
        Description = description;
        MetaData = metaData;
    }

    public string Description { get; set; }
    public string MetaData { get; set; }
}