#atom

Subtitle:

Extending React PDF Viewer functionality through custom plugin development

Core Idea:

Custom plugins allow developers to enhance React PDF Viewer with specialized functionality by tapping into its plugin architecture, enabling access to internal components, lifecycle events, and core functionality.

Key Principles:

1. Plugin Architecture:
   • Uses a composable design pattern for extending core functionality
2. Event-Driven Development:
   • Hooks into viewer lifecycle events such as rendering, loading, and user interactions
3. Store-Based State Management:
   • Utilizes a central store to manage plugin state and communicate between components

Why It Matters:

• Customization Freedom:
  • Enables tailoring the PDF viewing experience to specific application needs
• Functionality Extension:
  • Allows adding features beyond what's available in built-in plugins
• Integration Flexibility:
  • Facilitates seamless integration with existing application architecture

How to Implement:

1. Define Plugin Interface:
   • Create a function that returns a Plugin object with desired functionality
   • Specify additional methods or components the plugin will provide
2. Implement Core Logic:
   • Use plugin lifecycle hooks to respond to viewer events
   • Utilize store for state management across plugin components
3. Register with Viewer:
   • Create an instance of the plugin
   • Add to the plugins array when rendering the Viewer component

Example:

• Scenario:

  • Creating a custom plugin to add external link confirmation

• Application:

  import * as React from 'react';import { createStore, Plugin, Modal, PrimaryButton, MinimalButton } from '@react-pdf-viewer/core';const openLinksPlugin = () => {  // Create store for plugin state  const store = React.useMemo(() => createStore({ clickedTarget: '' }), []);    // Handle link clicks  const handleClick = (e) => {    e.preventDefault();    const href = e.target.href;    store.update('clickedTarget', href);  };    // Find and modify links in annotation layer  const findLinks = (e) => {    e.container.querySelectorAll('a[data-target="external"]').forEach((link) => {      link.addEventListener('click', handleClick);    });  };    // Create confirmation modal component  const ConfirmationModal = () => {    const [target, setTarget] = React.useState('');        // Subscribe to store updates    React.useEffect(() => {      const handleTargetClicked = (clickedTarget) => setTarget(clickedTarget);      store.subscribe('clickedTarget', handleTargetClicked);      return () => store.unsubscribe('clickedTarget', handleTargetClicked);    }, []);        // Modal actions    const handleCancel = () => setTarget('');    const handleConfirm = () => {      window.open(target, '_blank');      setTarget('');    };        // Render modal if target exists    return target ? (      <Modal isOpened={true}>        <div>Open external link?</div>        <div>          <MinimalButton onClick={handleCancel}>Cancel</MinimalButton>          <PrimaryButton onClick={handleConfirm}>Open</PrimaryButton>        </div>      </Modal>    ) : null;  };    // Return plugin object  return {    onAnnotationLayerRender: findLinks,    renderViewer: (renderProps) => {      const slot = renderProps.slot;      if (slot.subSlot) {        slot.subSlot.children = (          <>            <ConfirmationModal />            {slot.subSlot.children}          </>        );      }      return slot;    }  };};
  

• Result:

  • When users click external links in PDF documents, a confirmation modal appears instead of navigating immediately

Connections:

• Related Concepts:
  • 05 - Permanent/Atoms/React PDF Viewer Core: The foundation for custom plugin development
  • Worker Component: Required infrastructure for PDF.js operations
  • Reading Indicator Plugin: Example of custom plugin implementation
• Broader Concepts:
  • Plugin Architecture: Design pattern for extensible applications
  • React Component Composition: Method for building complex UIs from simpler pieces

References:

1. Primary Source:
   • React PDF Viewer Documentation: Plugin Development Guide
2. Additional Resources:
   • PDF.js Documentation: Annotation and Canvas Layers
   • React Context and Store Patterns Documentation

Tags:

#react #pdf #custom-plugins #extensibility #component-architecture #event-handling #store-management

Connections:

Sources:

• From: Version1