Question

I am trying to get the value of a hidden input in code behind with the following code. I am trying to cast it but it cannot find it , any help ?

((HtmlControl)FindControl("contentId"))

I declare it in aspx with the following code:

    <input id="contentId"  type="hidden" />

I dont want to runat server because i have my own reasons

Answer 1

To access a HTML control at server side (in your C# code), you need to first add the runat=”server” attribute. So, your markup should look like

<input type="hidden" id="contentId" runat="server"/>

Now, in the code behind you can use the control by its id contentId itself if the code behind got generated properly.

Please let us know why you are forced to use the FindControl in the first place as it can be accessed by using the id directly.

Update

As per the comment below, the user for some reason is not interested in making this input a server side control. Then the only possibility by which you can read the values at server side is as below. But this is not advised as any changes to the name goes unnoticed and breaks at runtime.

<input type="hidden" id="contentId" name="contentName" runat="server"/>

In Code

this.Request.Forms["contentName"] would return the hidden value.