get value of a text control without post back

       divname.Attributes["style"] = "display:block";                     txtname.Attributes["style"] = "display:block";                                                       //this.divname.Style.Add("display", "block");                     this.divname.Style.Add("position", "absolute");                     this.divname.Style.Add("left", 200 + "px"); i tried above txtname is in div name 1 ) the text control does appear but looses its zindex and does not appear at the desired position 2) when i enter something in textbox & press ESC i have a function called on ESC pres  to get the value from textbox  alert(document.getElementById("<%=txtname.ClientID%>").value); i get blank alert