README.md

Library tutorial react to print using functional components

Hi there! in this repo I'll teach you one way to use react to print using functional components.

1. first step:

Creating our react app:

npm:

$ npx create-react-app

yarn:

$ yarn add react

Download and install the React to print dependency:

$ npm i -D react-to-print

or

$ yarn add react-to-print

Check: the repo.

2. second step:

Now create your component to print, but using forwardRef for pass refs and props if is need.

Example:

  import React, { forwardRef } from 'react';

  const ComponentToPrint = forwardRef((props, reference) => (
      <div>
          <table ref={reference}>
              <thead>
                  <th>column 1</th>
                  <th>column 2</th>
                  <th>column 3</th>
              </thead>
              <tbody>
                  <tr>
                      <td>data 1</td>
                      <td>data 2</td>
                      <td>data 3</td>
                  </tr>
              </tbody>
          </table>
      </div>
  ));

  export default ComponentToPrint;

Ref forwarding is an opt-in feature that lets some components take a ref they receive, and pass it further down (in other words, “forward” it) to a child.

I recommend read more about it in: Oficial Documentation and Stack Overflow.

3. Third step:

Calling from functional components

  import React, { useRef } from 'react';
  import ReactToPrint from 'react-to-print';
  import ComponentToPrint from '../src/components/ComponentToPrint/ComponentToPrint';
  import './App.css';

  function App() {
    const componentRef = useRef();

    return (
      <div className="App">
        <ComponentToPrint ref={componentRef} />
        <ReactToPrint 
          trigger={() => <button>Print</button>}
          content={() => componentRef.current}
        />
      </div>
    );
  }

  export default App;

With useReactToPrint

  import React, { useRef } from 'react';
  import { useReactToPrint } from 'react-to-print';
  import ComponentToPrint from '../src/components/ComponentToPrint/ComponentToPrint';
  import './App.css';

  function App() {
    const componentRef = useRef();
    const handleToPrint = useReactToPrint({
      content: () => componentRef.current,
    });

    return (
      <div className="App">
        <ComponentToPrint ref={componentRef} />
      <button onClick={handleToPrint}>Print!</button>
      </div>
    );
  }

  export default App;