Platform.Recipient
Read attribute values and sendable data extension field values for the current recipient during an email send.
Runtime verified
Differs from official docs
Test scripts included
Platform.Recipient provides access to subscriber attributes and sendable data extension fields for the contact being processed in the current send context.
Methods
| Method | Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue(attributeName) |
string | Returns the value of a subscriber attribute or sendable DE field for the current recipient |
Show test script
<script runat="server">
/*
* Chapter: Methods
*
* CloudPage GET context. Proves:
* 1. Platform.Recipient is available without Platform.Load.
* 2. GetAttributeValue is callable without Platform.Load and returns a
* string-shaped empty value when no recipient is bound.
* 3. Wrong-case member invocations throw rather than behaving like the
* documented case; proxy typeof values alone are not existence proof.
* 4. The bare Recipient name is unavailable before and after Core loads.
*
* EXPECTED OUTPUT: every assertion line starts with PASS. A FAIL means the
* runtime no longer matches the documented claim and the page must be revised.
*/
function assert(id, actual, expected) {
Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}
function runChapter(id, fn) {
Platform.Response.Write("START " + id + "\n");
try { fn(); } catch (ex) { Platform.Response.Write("FAIL " + id + " chapter threw -> [" + String(ex.message) + "]\n"); }
Platform.Response.Write("DONE " + id + "\n");
}
function typeOf(fn) {
try { return fn(); } catch (ex) { return "THREW: " + String(ex.message); }
}
function invocationResult(fn) {
try { fn(); return "returned"; } catch (ex) { return "threw"; }
}
runChapter("methods", function () {
assert("CloudPage GET: typeof Platform.Recipient is clr without Platform.Load", typeOf(function () { return typeof Platform.Recipient; }), "clr");
assert("CloudPage GET: typeof GetAttributeValue is clrmethodinfo without Platform.Load", typeOf(function () { return typeof Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue; }), "clrmethodinfo");
var noLoadValue = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("EmailAddress");
assert("CloudPage GET: GetAttributeValue is callable without Platform.Load", typeof noLoadValue, "string");
assert("CloudPage GET: no bound recipient returns empty string without Platform.Load", noLoadValue, "");
assert("CloudPage GET: lowercase platform object invocation throws", invocationResult(function () { return Platform.recipient.GetAttributeValue("EmailAddress"); }), "threw");
assert("CloudPage GET: lowercase method invocation throws", invocationResult(function () { return Platform.Recipient.getAttributeValue("EmailAddress"); }), "threw");
assert("CloudPage GET: bare Recipient is undefined before Platform.Load", typeOf(function () { return typeof Recipient; }), "undefined");
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");
assert("DEV CloudPage GET: bare Recipient remains undefined after Platform.Load (older docs: Recipient global)", typeOf(function () { return typeof Recipient; }), "undefined");
});
</script>
Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue
Returns the value of a subscriber attribute or sendable data extension field for the recipient currently being processed in the send context.
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
attributeName |
string | Yes | Name of the subscriber attribute or sendable DE field to retrieve |
The bare-name Recipient global is not defined at runtime — it is undefined both before and after Platform.Load, contrary to older documentation. Always call Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue(...), or use Attribute.GetValue(name) after Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5").
Examples
var email = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("EmailAddress");
var firstName = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("FirstName");
var subKey = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("_subscriberkey");
Platform.Response.Write("Sending to: " + firstName + " <" + email + ">");
After Platform.Load, the Attribute namespace offers an equivalent reader:
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");
var email = Attribute.GetValue("EmailAddress");
Show test script
<script runat="server">
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");
/*
* Chapter: Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue
*
* CloudPage GET context. Proves:
* 1. The documented Platform.Recipient call accepts an attribute name and
* returns a string-shaped value.
* 2. Common subscriber/contact and sendable-DE names are empty because a
* plain CloudPage GET has no bound send recipient.
* 3. Attribute.GetValue is the loaded-Core equivalent in this context.
* 4. The actual email-send values are NOT ASSERTABLE on a CloudPage GET;
* they require an email, triggered-send, or journey-send context.
*
* EXPECTED OUTPUT: every assertion line starts with PASS. A FAIL means the
* runtime no longer matches the documented claim and the page must be revised.
*/
function assert(id, actual, expected) {
Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}
function runChapter(id, fn) {
Platform.Response.Write("START " + id + "\n");
try { fn(); } catch (ex) { Platform.Response.Write("FAIL " + id + " chapter threw -> [" + String(ex.message) + "]\n"); }
Platform.Response.Write("DONE " + id + "\n");
}
runChapter("getattributevalue", function () {
var email = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("EmailAddress");
var firstName = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("FirstName");
var subscriberKey = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("_subscriberkey");
assert("CloudPage GET: EmailAddress result type is string", typeof email, "string");
assert("CloudPage GET: EmailAddress is empty without a bound recipient", email, "");
assert("CloudPage GET: FirstName is empty without a bound recipient", firstName, "");
assert("CloudPage GET: _subscriberkey is empty without a bound recipient", subscriberKey, "");
assert("CloudPage GET: Attribute.GetValue EmailAddress result type is string", typeof Attribute.GetValue("EmailAddress"), "string");
assert("workaround CloudPage GET: Attribute.GetValue matches Platform.Recipient", Attribute.GetValue("EmailAddress"), email);
});
</script>
Notes
Platform.Recipient is only populated during a send context (email send, triggered send, or journey send). The method itself does not throw in a CloudPage — it simply returns "" (empty string) because no recipient is bound. To read URL parameters in a CloudPage, use Platform.Request.GetQueryStringParameter instead.
Show test script
<script runat="server">
Platform.Load("core", "1.1.5");
/*
* Chapter: Notes
*
* CloudPage GET context. Proves:
* 1. Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue does not throw when no recipient
* is bound; it returns an empty string.
* 2. Platform.Request.GetQueryStringParameter is the working CloudPage API
* for URL parameters, independently of recipient context.
* 3. Population during email, triggered-send, or journey-send processing is
* NOT ASSERTABLE in a plain CloudPage GET and remains context-blocked.
*
* EXPECTED OUTPUT: every assertion line starts with PASS. A FAIL means the
* runtime no longer matches the documented claim and the page must be revised.
*/
function assert(id, actual, expected) {
Platform.Response.Write((actual === expected ? "PASS " : "FAIL ") + id + " -> [" + actual + "]\n");
}
function runChapter(id, fn) {
Platform.Response.Write("START " + id + "\n");
try { fn(); } catch (ex) { Platform.Response.Write("FAIL " + id + " chapter threw -> [" + String(ex.message) + "]\n"); }
Platform.Response.Write("DONE " + id + "\n");
}
runChapter("notes", function () {
var recipientValue = Platform.Recipient.GetAttributeValue("EmailAddress");
var queryValue = Platform.Request.GetQueryStringParameter("recipientProbe");
assert("CloudPage GET: recipient access returns instead of throwing", typeof recipientValue, "string");
assert("CloudPage GET: recipient access is empty without send context", recipientValue, "");
assert("CloudPage GET: Platform.Request reads the URL parameter", queryValue, "query-control");
});
</script>