value Attribute

 

Where to use the value Attribute

• As Type CDATA:
  value is declared on the elements: param, input, option, button

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Description

On the param element

On the param element, the value attribute is used to specify the value of the parameter (object property) given by its name attribute. The type of value is may be specified using the valuetype attribute (possibly in conjunction with the type attribute).

On Form Controls

On form controls, the value attribute is usually used to specify a value which will be sent in a name=value pair to the processing URI on form submission if that control is successful (i.e. for selected options, checked radio buttons or checkboxes and for activated submit buttons).

For certain controls, the content of the value attribute is more accurately termed the initial value for that control. This is because, for these controls, the value may be (and often is) subsequently changed by the user. Such controls are text or password input boxes.

Text and Password Input Boxes

The value attribute of an input type="text" (or input type="password") element specifies the initial value contained within the text (or password) box when the form is first rendered. If this text is then changed by the user, it is this user-provided final value which is instead sent in the name=value pair. The content of each text (or password) input field is returned to its initial value (specified by the value attribute) if the form is reset using, for example, a input type="reset" button.

Buttons

On buttons created using input type="submit", input type="reset" or input type="button", the value attribute specifies the text to appear on the button. In the absence of a value attribute, the submit and reset input buttons are given default text by the user agent (usually something like 'Submit Query' and 'Reset Form' respectively) but for the input type="button" element there is not usually any default text, in which case the button will be blank unless its value attribute is specified.

For submit buttons created using input type="submit" or button elements, where a name attribute is also specified, the value attribute's contents will be sent to the processing URI in a name=value pair if that button is the one used to submit the form.

Checkboxes and Radio Buttons

The value attribute of an input type="checkbox" (or input type="radio") element specifies the value to be sent to the processing URI in a name=value pair if that checkbox (or radio button) is selected when the form is submitted. The name used in the name=value pair is the contents of the element's name attribute.

Hidden Form Controls

The value attribute of an input type="hidden" element specifies the value to be sent to the processing URI in a name=value pair for that hidden control. The name used in the name=value pair is the contents of the element's name attribute.

Select List Options

The value attribute of an option element specifies the value to be sent to the processing URI in a name=value pair if that option is selected when the form is submitted. The name used in the name=value pair is the contents of the enclosing select element's name attribute. If no value attribute is specified on an option element, it is the contents of that element which are sent to the processing URI instead.

Note: the elements input type="image" and input type="file" may both technically be given value attributes; however, inconsistencies in user agent behaviour (which, for file upload controls, stem from understandable security concerns) mean that the value attribute is not documented on this site for these two elements.