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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-18T03:21:22+00:00

I have a JavaScript function to which I pass a parameter. The parameter represents

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I have a JavaScript function to which I pass a parameter. The parameter represents the id of an element (a hidden field) in my web page. I want to change the value of this element.

function myFunc(variable) {
  var s = document.getElementById(variable);
  s.value = 'New value'
}

When I do this, I get an error that the value cannot be set because the object is null. But I know the object is not null because I see it in the HTML code generated by the browser.

Anyway, I tried the following code to debug

function myFunc(variable) {
  var x = variable;
  var y = 'This-is-the-real-id'
  alert(x + ', ' + y)
  var s = document.getElementById(x);
  s.value = 'New value'
}

When the alert message shows up, both parameters are the same, but I still get the error. But everything works fine when I do

  var s = document.getElementById('This-is-the-real-id');
  s.value = 'New value'

How can I fix this?

The element for which I am setting the value is a hidden field and the id is set dynamically, as the page loads. I have tried added this in the $(document).ready function, but it did not work.

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    If myFunc(variable) is executed before the textarea is rendered to the page, you will get the null exception error.

    <html>
    <head>
        <title>index</title>
        <script type="text/javascript">
            function myFunc(variable) {
                var s = document.getElementById(variable);
                s.value = "new value";
            }
            myFunc("id1");
        </script>
    </head>

<body>
    <textarea id="id1"></textarea>
</body>

</html>
<!-- Error message: Cannot set property 'value' of null -->

    So, make sure your textarea does exist on the page, and then call myFunc. You can use the window.onload or $(document).ready function.

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