Unable to read text from textbox using gettext() of selenium webdriver?

Question

I can't read dates from ajax calendar control after date selection

http://www.asp.net/ajaxLibrary/AjaxControlToolkitSampleSite/Calendar/Calendar.aspx

I don't get any error but I can't fetch any value from textbox.

public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {

        WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
        driver.get("http://www.asp.net/ajaxLibrary/AjaxControlToolkitSampleSite/Calendar/Calendar.aspx");
        driver.manage().window().maximize();


        //Default calendar: 
        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_Date1']")).click();

        for(int i=0;i<=5;i++){

            for(int j = 0;j<=6;j++){

                System.out.print(driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_defaultCalendarExtender_day_"+i+"_"+j+"']")).getText()+"-");

            }
            System.out.println();
        }

        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_defaultCalendarExtender_day_3_4']")).click();

        System.out.println(driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_Date1']")).getText());


        //Calendar with an associated button:

        System.out.println("Calendar with an associated button:------------------------------------------------------");

        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_Image1']")).click();

        for(int i=0;i<=5;i++){

            for(int j = 0;j<=6;j++){

                System.out.print(driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_calendarButtonExtender_day_"+i+"_"+j+"']")).getText()+"-");

            }
            System.out.println();
        }

        Thread.sleep(5000L);
        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_Image1']")).click();
        driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_calendarButtonExtender_day_3_3']")).click();

        System.out.println(driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[@id='ctl00_SampleContent_Date5']")).getText());


    }

Answer 1

The call to get the input text should be:

driver.findElement(By.id("ctl00_SampleContent_Date5")).getAttribute("value");

Don't ask me why, it's just the way it always has been. By typing into an input element, you are changing its value attribute.