TipTap React: Update Editor Initial Content based on dropdown selection

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05-10-2024

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Dynamically Updating TipTap Editor Content with Dropdown Selection

Have you ever needed to populate a TipTap editor with different content based on a user's selection from a dropdown menu? This is a common requirement in applications where users might need to choose from a set of pre-defined templates or start writing with a specific piece of text.

This article will guide you through the process of dynamically updating the content of a TipTap editor in React based on the selection made in a dropdown menu.

The Scenario:

Imagine you're building a website where users can create blog posts. You want to provide them with a convenient way to choose from various introductory paragraphs or common blog post structures. A dropdown menu with different options and a TipTap editor seem like a perfect solution.

Here's an example of how the initial code might look in a React component:

import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { Editor, EditorContent } from '@tiptap/react';
import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit';
import Dropdown from 'react-dropdown'; // Or your preferred dropdown component

const MyComponent = () => {
  const [selectedOption, setSelectedOption] = useState('');
  const [editorContent, setEditorContent] = useState('');

  const options = [
    { value: 'intro1', label: 'Intro 1' },
    { value: 'intro2', label: 'Intro 2' },
  ];

  useEffect(() => {
    if (selectedOption) {
      // Logic to fetch content based on selectedOption
      // ...
    }
  }, [selectedOption]);

  return (
    <div>
      <Dropdown options={options} onChange={setSelectedOption} />
      <Editor
        extensions={[StarterKit]}
        content={editorContent}
        onUpdate={(update) => setEditorContent(update.getHTML())}
      >
        <EditorContent />
      </Editor>
    </div>
  );
};

export default MyComponent;

In this code, we have a dropdown menu with two introductory options. The selectedOption state stores the user's choice. We also have an useEffect hook that tries to fetch content based on the selectedOption. However, this code doesn't actually update the TipTap editor content.

Dynamically Updating the Editor:

To dynamically update the editor content based on the dropdown selection, we need to make some adjustments.

1. Fetch Initial Content: Inside the useEffect hook, fetch the initial content based on the selectedOption. This might involve making API calls or retrieving data from your application's state.

2. Update Editor Content: Use the setContent method of the TipTap editor instance to update its content with the fetched initial content.

Here's the updated code:

import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
import { Editor, EditorContent } from '@tiptap/react';
import StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit';
import Dropdown from 'react-dropdown'; // Or your preferred dropdown component

const MyComponent = () => {
  const [selectedOption, setSelectedOption] = useState('');
  const editorRef = useRef(null);

  const options = [
    { value: 'intro1', label: 'Intro 1' },
    { value: 'intro2', label: 'Intro 2' },
  ];

  useEffect(() => {
    if (selectedOption) {
      // Fetch initial content based on selectedOption
      const initialContent = /* ... fetch content here ... */;
      if (editorRef.current) {
        editorRef.current.setContent(initialContent);
      }
    }
  }, [selectedOption]);

  return (
    <div>
      <Dropdown options={options} onChange={setSelectedOption} />
      <Editor
        ref={editorRef}
        extensions={[StarterKit]}
        onUpdate={(update) => console.log(update.getHTML())} // For example
      >
        <EditorContent />
      </Editor>
    </div>
  );
};

export default MyComponent;

Now, when a user selects an option from the dropdown, the useEffect hook will fetch the corresponding content and update the TipTap editor with it.

Key Points:

• Editor Instance: We use the useRef hook to access the TipTap editor instance. This allows us to directly call the setContent method on the editor.

• Initial Content Fetch: The useEffect hook is triggered whenever the selectedOption changes. Inside the hook, you need to fetch the initial content based on the selected option.

• Error Handling: Always handle potential errors during content fetching.

• Content Format: Ensure the content you are fetching is in a format that TipTap can understand. It might require some processing or conversion depending on the source of the content.

Example with API Call:

// Assuming a hypothetical API endpoint: /api/content/:optionId
const initialContent = async (optionId) => {
  try {
    const response = await fetch(`/api/content/${optionId}`);
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error('Failed to fetch content');
    }
    const data = await response.json();
    return data.content;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching initial content:', error);
    return ''; // Handle the error gracefully
  }
};

// ... (rest of the code)

useEffect(() => {
  if (selectedOption) {
    initialContent(selectedOption).then((content) => {
      if (editorRef.current) {
        editorRef.current.setContent(content);
      }
    });
  }
}, [selectedOption]);

This example demonstrates how to fetch initial content from an API endpoint. You can replace the placeholder initialContent function with your actual logic for fetching content.

By implementing this approach, you can empower users to easily choose starting points for their writing in a TipTap editor, making your application more user-friendly and efficient.