Implementing nested $refs in a VueJS SPA implementing Vue-Router

Question

I am working on a Laravel/VueJS SPA that utilizes Vue / Vue-Router. I have a Vue component that has been assigned a $ref (inside Component C / Nested Child Component), that is encapsulated within the primary Vue-Router component (Component B) that is injected into the layout (Component A - Layout Component)

I need to access this element that corresponds to this $ref (inside component C), however I am unable to access it because the component hierarchy (within Component A)is constructed from information declared in Component B.

(Layout-Component / $root) - Vue Layout Component: --(Vue-Router-Component) -
Primary component injected into layout via Vue-Router - Child Component of
Component A --(dynamic-form-field) - Child Component of Vue-Router-Component

<Layout-Component ref="componentA">
  <Vue-Router-Component ref="componentB">
    <dynamic-form-field ref="componentC"></dynamic-form-field>
  </Vue-Router-Component>
</Layout-Component>

I tried accessing the $ref using the standard nested $ref syntax:

this.$root.$refs['componentB'].$refs['componentC'].attribute

However I am unable to access any $refs declared within Components B or C from Component A.

---

I determined that it is a Vue lifecycle issue, because if I recreate the nested component hierarchy (Components A - C) directly within the main layout (without using data declared within Component B) then I can access the nested $refs without issue via the above syntax.

---

The problem stems from the creation of the components in Component-A (Layout-Component) from data declared in Component B.

Layout Component (Component A) Snippet:

<template v-for="(input, field) in formDialog.inputs">
  <template v-if="Array.isArray(input)">
    <!-- for every record in the input array -->
    <template v-for="(inputArrRecord, arrIndex) in input">
      <v-col cols="12" class="p-0">
        <v-btn
          icon
          x-small
          v-if="arrIndex"
          class="float-right"
          color="error"
          :title="
            inputArrRecord.typeTitle
              ? `Remove ${inputArrRecord.typeTitle}`
              : 'Remove'
          "
          @click="inputArrRecord.removeAction"
        >
          <v-icon>mdi-close-box-multiple-outline</v-icon>
        </v-btn>
      </v-col>

      <template v-for="(inputArrRecordInput, field2) in inputArrRecord.inputs">
        <!-- for every field in the array record -->
        <dynamic-form-field
          :ref="`dynamicFormField${field2}`"
          :input="inputArrRecordInput"
          :field="field2"
          :mode="formMode"
          :error="formDialog.errors[`${field}.${arrIndex}.${field2}`]"
        ></dynamic-form-field>
      </template>
    </template>
  </template>

  <dynamic-form-field
    v-else
    :ref="`dynamicFormField${field}`"
    :input="input"
    :field="field"
    :mode="formMode"
    :error="formDialog.errors[field]"
  ></dynamic-form-field>
</template>

Data Declaration (Component B) Snippet:

export default {
  data() {
    return {
      formDialog: {
        errors: [],
        show: false,
        inputs: {
          id: {
            val: '',
            save: true,
            type: 'hidden',
          },

          word_data: [],
          definitions: [],

          tags: {
            val: [],
            save: true,
            add: true,
            type: 'autocomplete',
            items: this.$root.cache.tags,
            ref: 'vocabTagsAutocomplete',
            label: 'Search For a Tag',
            actionChange: this.addExistingTag,
            actionKeydown: this.addNewTag,
          },

          synonym: {
            val: '',
            save: true,
            add: true,
            placeholder: 'Synonyms',
          },
        },
        titleActions: [
          {
            icon: 'mdi-book-plus',
            btnType: 'text',
            text: 'Add Word Type',
            event: this.cloneWordDataTemplate,
          },
          {
            icon: 'mdi-book-plus-outline',
            btnType: 'text',
            text: 'Add Definition',
            event: this.cloneDefinitionTemplate,
          },
        ],
      },
    }
  },
}

dynamic-form-field.vue (Component C) Content:

<template>
  <v-col
    v-if="(mode == 'add' && input.add) || (mode == 'edit' && input.save)"
    :cols="input.gridSize || 12"
  >
    <form-field-selection
      :input="input"
      :field="field"
      :error="error"
      :ref="`formFieldSelection${field}`"
    ></form-field-selection>
  </v-col>
</template>

<script>
  export default {
    name: 'dynamic-form-field',
    props: ['input', 'field', 'mode', 'error'],
  }
</script>

How can I access the $ref declared within Component C from Component A?

Answer 1

Your component C could be emitting an event, sending itself as data:

// Component C
<script>
/*..component code..*/
mounted(){
  this.$root.$emit('child_ready',this)
}
</script>

Then you can hear that event in any other component:

// Your layout
<script>
/*...layout code...*/
created(){
    // Using created to make sure we add our listeners before any child mount
    this.$root.$on('child_ready',onChild)
},
beforeDestroy(){
    // cleaning the listener
    this.$root.$off('child_ready',onChild)
},
methods:{
    onChild(childRef){
        // Now you can access properties and methods
        // childRef.property()
        // childRef.method()
    }
}
<script>