{{tag>Programmers_Reference Methods Report_Scriptlets IReportEnvironment_Interface getElementValue Index}}
====getElementValue (String)====
<code java>public Object getElementValue (String elementName) 
throws Exception</code>

This method returns the current value of the report element with the specified name. The element must be either an element with a scriptlet attached (text or image) or a tag element, in which case the current value of the tag expression is retrieved. Each element in the report may be given a name in its Properties dialog. If the element’s name is not specified //**Aware IM**// generates its own name. If a scriptlet needs to access certain elements in the report it is a good idea to give such elements some meaningful names.

===Parameters===
|''elementName''|the name of the element the value of which is retrieved|

===Returns===
The value of the element – either String representing the text if the element is a text element or an Object representing the value of the tag expression of any type listed in the table in [[docs:3500:appendix_a|Appendix A]] if the element is a tag element or ''java.awt.Image'' if the element is an image.

===Throws===
An exception if the element with the specified name was not found or there was some other error.