# RadTextBox Client Object

The following tables lists the most important properties/methods of the **RadTextBox** client-side object:

Properties

> caption  

| Name                       | Parameters                      | Return Type                     | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **get_value()**            | none                            | string                          | Returns the value of the text box.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **set_value()**            | string                          | none                            | Sets the value of the text box.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **get_editValue()**        | none                            | string                          | Gets the value of the text box as it is formatted when the text box has focus.                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **get_displayValue()**     | none                            | string                          | Gets the value of the text box as it is formatted when the text box does not have focus.                                                                                                                                                                   |
| **get_textBoxValue()**     | none                            | string                          | Gets the string that the user typed into the text box.                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| **get_caretPosition()**    | none                            | integer                         | Returns the current position of the caret.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| **set_caretPosition()**    | integer                         | none                            | Sets the position of the caret.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **get_styles()**           | none                            | InputStyles                     | Returns the InputStyles Client object, which can be used to change the appearance of the text box when it is first loaded.                                                                                                                                 |
| **get_autoPostBack()**     | none                            | boolean                         | Returns the value of the **AutoPostBack** property.                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| **set_autoPostBack()**     | boolean                         | none                            | Enables or disables postbacks when the user changes the text in the text box.                                                                                                                                                                              |
| **get_enabled()**          | none                            | boolean                         | Returns **true** if the text box is enabled.                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **get_showButton()**       | none                            | boolean                         | Returns **true** if the text box has an associated image button.                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| **get_selectionOnFocus()** | none                            | Telerik.Web.UI.SelectionOnFocus | Returns the value of the SelectionOnFocus property. Possible values are Telerik.Web.UI.SelectionOnFocus.CaretToBeginning, Telerik.Web.UI.SelectionOnFocus.CaretToEnd, Telerik.Web.UI.SelectionOnFocus.None, and Telerik.Web.UI.SelectionOnFocus.SelectAll. |
| **set_selectionOnFocus()** | Telerik.Web.UI.SelectionOnFocus | none                            | Sets the SelectionOnFocus property.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| **get_emptyMessage()**     | none                            | string                          | Returns the message that appears when the text box value is an empty string.                                                                                                                                                                               |
| **set_emptyMessage()**     | string                          | none                            | Sets the message that appears when the text box value is an empty string.                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| **get_element()**          | none                            | HTML element                    | Gets the DOM element for the input element that holds the edit value.                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| **get_wrapperElement()**   | none                            | HTML element                    | Gets the DOM element for the wrapper element.                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| **get_visible()**          | none                            | boolean                         | Returns whether the input element is rendered as hidden or not. Does not apply if the control is inside another hidden html element.                                                                                                                       |
| **set_visible()**          | boolean                         | none                            | Sets the input element as hidden on the client                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **set_displayValue()**     | string                          | none                            | Sets the value of the text box as it isformatted when the text box does not have focus.                                                                                                                                                                    |

Methods

> caption  

| Name              | Parameters       | Return Type | Description                                                                                                                                 |
| ----------------- | ---------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **selectAllText** | none             | none        | Selects all text in the text box.                                                                                                           |
| **selectText**    | integer, integer | none        | Selects the text in the specified range of positions. The first parameter is the start of the range and the second is the end of the range. |
| **enable**        | none             | none        | Enables the text box.                                                                                                                       |
| **disable**       | none             | none        | Disables the text box.                                                                                                                      |
| **focus**         | none             | none        | Sets focus to the text box so that the user can edit its value.                                                                             |
| **blur**          | none             | none        | Removes focus from the text box, moving it to the next control in the tab order of the page.                                                |
| **clear**         | none             | none        | Sets the value of the text box to an empty string.                                                                                          |
| **isMultiLine**   | none             | boolean     | Returns **true** if the text mode is MultiLine.                                                                                             |
| **isReadOnly**    | none             | boolean     | Returns **true** of the text box is read-only.                                                                                              |
| **isEmpty**       | none             | boolean     | Returns **true** if the value of the text box is an empty string.                                                                           |

# Examples

Below you will find several samples, demonstrating some basic scenarios which can be achieved by using the RadTextBox Client-side API:

\## Decorate RadTextBox HTML element
In this sample you will see how to change the background colour of the TextBox element, accessing it through the *get_element()* method:

```JavaScript
<script type="text/javascript">
        function decorate() {
            var textBoxEl = $find("RadTextBox1").get_element();
            textBoxEl.style.backgroundColor = "red"
        }
</script>
```

```ASP.NET
         <telerik:RadButton ID="RadButton1" runat="server" Text="Decorate" AutoPostBack="false" OnClientClicked="decorate"></telerik:RadButton>
        <telerik:RadTextBox ID="RadTextBox1" runat="server" RenderMode="Lightweight" Width="240px" AutoPostBack="true" Text="Initial Value">
        </telerik:RadTextBox>
```

\## Show/Hide RadTextBox

This sample demonstrates how to change the visibility of a TextBox through the *set_visible()* method:

```JavaScript
<script type="text/javascript">
            function showHideTextbox() {
                var textBox = $find("RadTextBox1");
                textBox.set_visible(!textBox.get_visible());
            }
</script>
```

```ASP.NET
        <telerik:RadButton ID="RadButton1" runat="server" Text="Show/Hide" AutoPostBack="false" OnClientClicked="showHideTextbox"></telerik:RadButton>
        <telerik:RadTextBox ID="RadTextBox1" runat="server" RenderMode="Lightweight" Width="240px" AutoPostBack="true">
        </telerik:RadTextBox>
```

\## Determine if RadTextBox is empty

Here you can see how to determine if a textbox is empty, implementing some kind of a custom validation with the help of the *isEmpty()* method:

```JavaScript
<script type="text/javascript">
            function determineIfEmpty(sender, eventArgs) {
                var emptyBox = $find('RadTextBox1');

                if (emptyBox.isEmpty()) {
                    alert('Please, enter a not empty value.');
                }
                else {
                    alert('Thank you!');
                }
            }
</script>
```

```ASP.NET
        <telerik:RadTextBox ID="RadTextBox1" runat="server" EmptyMessage="This box is empty." />
        <telerik:RadButton ID="RadButton1" runat="server" Text="Submit" AutoPostBack="false" OnClientClicked="determineIfEmpty"></telerik:RadButton>
```

## See Also

* [RadTextBox Client-side Programming Overview](https://www.telerik.com/products/aspnet-ajax/documentation/controls/textbox/client-side-programming/overview)