# How do you get a custom mesh to self shadow and cast shadow? **URL:** \ **Category:** World Creation\ **Tags:** Procedural-Generation, cast-shadow, unreal-engine, procedural-mesh, CPP, question\ **Created:** [May 20, 2014, 1:57am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788 "2014-05-20T01:57:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DayOfWar](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@DayOfWar](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/DayOfWar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 1:57am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788/1 "2014-05-20T01:57:36Z")
I have a custom mesh class based on the [Procedural Mesh Generation](https://wiki.unrealengine.com/Procedural_Mesh_Generation) tutorial on the wiki. I can’t figure out how to get the GeneratedMeshComponent from the Procedural Mesh Generation tutorial to cast and self shadow. ---
**Author:** ![Rama](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/rama/32/882413_2.png) [@Rama](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Rama)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788/2 "2014-05-20T04:15:07Z")
#Code For You Try settings like these. I use this for all my custom components. Just put the function in your .h and run it in your constructor for your custom component ``` FORCEINLINE void SetupSMComponentsWithCollision(UStaticMeshComponent* Comp) { if(!Comp) return; // ~~~~~~~~ Comp->bOwnerNoSee = false; Comp->bCastDynamicShadow = true; Comp->CastShadow = true; Comp->BodyInstance.SetObjectType(ECC_WorldDynamic); Comp->BodyInstance.SetCollisionEnabled(ECollisionEnabled::QueryAndPhysics); Comp->BodyInstance.SetResponseToAllChannels(ECR_Ignore); Comp->BodyInstance.SetResponseToChannel(ECC_WorldStatic, ECR_Block); Comp->BodyInstance.SetResponseToChannel(ECC_WorldDynamic, ECR_Block); Comp->BodyInstance.SetResponseToChannel(ECC_Pawn, ECR_Block); Comp->SetHiddenInGame(false); } ``` ---
**Author:** ![DayOfWar](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@DayOfWar](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/DayOfWar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788/3 "2014-05-20T12:56:12Z")
This doesn’t work for me. Can you confirm it works with the Procedural Mesh Generation tutorial? It will receive a shadow but won’t cast one. ---
**Author:** ![Rama](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/rama/32/882413_2.png) [@Rama](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Rama)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788/4 "2014-05-20T17:53:06Z")
I got my own procedural meshes to cast shadows just fine! #Picture for Reference ![6492-dynamicmeshuv.jpg](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/f/7/0/f70068efb3287fbf5a3afe78ce3af9951593cd66.jpeg) #Movable Did you set your component to be MOVABLE ??!! #Set Root Component Did you set it to be the root component of your Actor that has this component? #More Code For You ``` AVictoryWallCanvas3D::AVictoryWallCanvas3D(const class FPostConstructInitializeProperties& PCIP) : Super(PCIP) { //New Root Component! VMesh = PCIP.CreateDefaultSubobject < UVictoryMeshComponent > (this, TEXT("VictoryMesh")); RootComponent = VMesh; //Mobility VMesh->SetMobility(EComponentMobility::Movable); //Component Setup VMesh->CastShadow = true; VMesh->bCastDynamicShadow = true; VMesh->BodyInstance.SetObjectType(ECC_WorldDynamic); VMesh->BodyInstance.SetCollisionEnabled(ECollisionEnabled::QueryAndPhysics); //Just in cases VMesh->SetHiddenInGame(false); } ``` Rama PS: if this resolves your issue please check mark my post so Epic knows the issue is solved ---
**Author:** ![DayOfWar](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@DayOfWar](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/DayOfWar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788/5 "2014-05-20T19:02:58Z")
There has got to be something else I am missing . I have started all over using the Procedural Mesh Generation tutorial and added the code you suggested with no luck at getting it to cast a shadow. Receive shadows works and collision works but not casting a shadow. ![6665-screenshot00013.jpg](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/1/d/4/1d4b728048c9f1bf75d943fa3ebe8232987a7f0d.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![DayOfWar](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@DayOfWar](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/DayOfWar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/how-do-you-get-a-custom-mesh-to-self-shadow-and-cast-shadow/283788/6 "2014-05-20T21:15:28Z")
Finally figured it out. Turns out it was the CalcBounds function. It was setup like so ``` FBoxSphereBounds UGeneratedMeshComponent::CalcBounds(const FTransform & LocalToWorld) const { FBoxSphereBounds NewBounds; NewBounds.Origin = FVector::ZeroVector; NewBounds.BoxExtent = FVector(HALF_WORLD_MAX,HALF_WORLD_MAX,HALF_WORLD_MAX); NewBounds.SphereRadius = FMath::Sqrt(3.0f * FMath::Square(HALF_WORLD_MAX)); return NewBounds; } ``` That turns out to be a very large bounding box and my guess is the shadow rendering code ignores it as if it’s not in the shadow render pass. To fix it I changed it to represent a more accurate bounding box based on the actual geometry.