Retrieve textbox values in code behind file asp.net

Question

Hi I have a crontrol on the page:

<asp:TextBox ID="q" runat="server" autocomplete="off" />

which I'm trying to access the value of from the code behind file.

I've tried:

TextBox searchTerm = FindControl("q") as TextBox;

But it doesn't work.

Solution

If it is an ASP.NET TextBox server control which is inside your form, you can simply use the Text property

string searchKey=q.Text;

You can access any elements inside your CodeBehind if it has an ID property with a value and Runat Property value set to "Server"

Ex : You can write some markup like this in your .ASPX page

<div id="someInfoDiv" runat="server"> Tim's point is valid</div>

and in codebehind

 someInfoDiv.InnerHtml = "So i am adding that";

Comments

[Tim Copenhaver]

As a note, you can access any element this way so long as it has an id assigned and the runat attribute set to "server", even if it is not an ASP.Net control.

[Dushan Perera]

@TimCopenhaver: Agreed. I willmention that in my answer.