Fixing the HTML to PDF Conversion Issue in React JS with jsPDF

Learn how to effectively convert HTML content to PDF in React using jsPDF, and troubleshoot common issues you might encounter during this process.
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How to Convert HTML to PDF in React Using jsPDF: Troubleshooting Common Issues

Converting HTML content to PDF in a React application can be a challenging task, especially when you run into errors. One frequent problem developers face is while trying to use the jsPDF library, resulting in failure to generate the desired PDF file. In this article, we will address a common issue involving the conversion of HTML to PDF using jsPDF, along with a step-by-step solution.

Identifying the Problem

Recently, a developer reported an error while attempting to convert simple HTML div tags into a PDF using jsPDF. The error message received was:

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This was triggered by the following code snippet in their exportPDF function:

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Solution Breakdown

To resolve this issue, the core concept is to ensure that the HTML you want to convert is correctly rendered before passing it to jsPDF. We can utilize ReactDOMServer to render the React component as a string and then pass that string to jsPDF. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

Step 1: Import Necessary Libraries

Make sure to import both jsPDF and ReactDOMServer at the beginning of your file:

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Step 2: Render the HTML Element as a String

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Step 3: Update the Component Structure

Ensure the exportPDF function is part of a functioning React component, and include a trigger to call this function when a button is clicked:

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Final Code Example

Putting it all together, your final code should look something like this:

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Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to convert HTML to PDF using jsPDF successfully. The key takeaway is to always ensure you render the React component into an HTML string format before passing it to jsPDF. This workaround will help you avoid the Unknown source type error and enable you to create PDFs from your React components effortlessly.

With this solution, you're now better equipped to handle HTML to PDF conversions in your React applications using jsPDF. Happy coding!