How to access fields from node template without render within node template, i am trying to print a content type field value. usually I see the render function used to print the field value in the template e.g. render($content['field_name']). how do i just print the field value? 

$content['field_name'][$lang][0]['value'] doesnt work
You can do it like this:

$lang = field_language('node', $node, 'field_name'); // gets field language

print $node-&gt;field_name[$lang][0]['value']; // prints field