class Robbie { enum Horses { DONKEY, SEABISCUIT; static Horses valueOf2(String arg0) { if(arg0.equalsIgnoreCase("donkey")) return DONKEY; else return SEABISCUIT; } } /** * @param args */ public static void main(String[] args) { // TODO Auto-generated method stub String input = "doNkEy"; System.err.println("Horses.getEnum() yields " + Horses.valueOf2( input )); } switch(Horses.valueOf2(input)) { case DONKEY: return; case SEABISCUIT: return; default: return; } };