Custom components not allowed in dynamic rendering

OS: Mac OS 10.13.6

React-pdf version: 1.0.0-alpha.25

Description: When trying to use my own custom components within a dynamic render, I get the following error:

Error: Invalid element of type <TYPE>
    at createInstance (/node_modules/@react-pdf/renderer/src/elements/index.js:30:9)
    at Page$1.createInstance [as addDynamicChild] (/node_modules/@react-pdf/renderer/src/elements/Page.js:114:26)
    at Page$1.addDynamicChild (/node_modules/@react-pdf/renderer/src/elements/Page.js:118:20)
    at <anonymous>
    at process._tickCallback (internal/process/next_tick.js:188:7)

Looking at the source code, I see that only the basic components included with the library are whitelisted for use within dynamic rendering. I’m not sure what the constraints are there but it feels very limiting to not allow custom components, given the prevalence of this pattern in React.

How to replicate issue including code snippet (if applies): Put any custom component inside a dynamic render function:

const MyCustomComponent = props => <Text>{props.children}</Text>;
const DynamicallyRenderedComponent = props => (
  <View
    render={({ pageNumber }) => (
      <MyCustomComponent>
         This will throw an error 
      </MyCustomComponent>
    )}
  />
);

You can make use of react-pdf REPL to share the snippet

[aautem]

Unfortunately the way we are doing dynamic rendering right now does support that, it’s true. That’s because we have to create elements in render time and it’s only possible to create primitives nodes.

@diegomura Any update on this? Would be an awesome feature. I’d love to help but don’t completely understand the issue. Why is it only possible to create primitive nodes in render time? My custom component just renders a few primitives so there’s something I’m missing here.

[diegomura]

😓 sorry. I missed the fact that this was happening on dynamic render. My bad haha. I have too many things in my head.

Unfortunately the way we are doing dynamic rendering right now does support that, it’s true. That’s because we have to create elements in render time and it’s only possible to create primitives nodes.

Maybe what we can do is running the reconciler only over that part of the tree, but not sure how it will work. I can’t promise either when I’ll be able to test it.

I understand that dynamic rendering may be handy for a bunch different scenarios, but it’s very trick to set up for all of them. It was created mainly for page numbers and if statements, but not thinking of rendering custom components. Would be great to make it more powerful. If you like, you can give it a shot 😄 I’ll be happy to assist you on the process