Call lifecycle methods on container component created with connect() - reactjs

Question

I would like to call componentDidMount() on the container component that is created by this connect()ed component:
import { View, Text } from 'react-native'
import { connect } from 'react-redux'
import { formStyles } from '../../style'
import { DimenInput } from '../dimenInput/DimenInput'
import { updateDimension } from '../../actions/updateDimension.action'
import React from 'react'
import { updateVolume } from '../../actions/updateDimension.action'
import calcVol from '../../calcVol'
const mapStateToProps = (state) => ({
height1: state.get('height').get('height1').toString(),
height2: state.get('height').get('height2').toString()
})
const updateHeight = (text, number) => (dispatch, getState) => {
dispatch(updateDimension('height', text, number))
let litres = calcVol(getState())
dispatch(updateVolume(litres))
}
let Height = (props) => (
<View style={formStyles.container}>
<DimenInput
value={props.height1}
onChangeText={text => props.updateHeight(text, 1)}
/>
<Text style={formStyles.text}>{'FT'}</Text>
<DimenInput
value={props.height2}
onChangeText={text => props.updateHeight(text, 2)}
/>
<Text style={formStyles.text}>{'IN'}</Text>
</View>
)
Height.propTypes = {
height1: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
height2: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
updateHeight: React.PropTypes.func.isRequired
}
Height = connect(
mapStateToProps,
{ updateHeight }
)(Height)
export default Height
Is it possible? I try to use connect() because it does some performance optimisations. Or do I just need to create the container component manually to add lifecycle methods?
The main aim of this is that I need to call a method on app startup. Not on component startup. So if there is another way to do that then I'm interested to know about it. There is a good way to do it with react router onEnter() however I do not have a react router as it is a single page app so no routes.

Answer 1

If you want access to lifecycle methods of a React Component, you'll need to use an object extended from React.Component. You can achieve this by creating your component using React.createClass or ES6 class notation instead of using a functional component like you are dong now with your arrow function.
React top level API
var Height = React.createClass({
componentDidMount: function(){
//...
}
});
ES6 approach:
class Height extends React.Component {
constructor(props) {
//...
}
componentDidMount(){
//...
}
}