How to set a static mesh to a run-time spawned actor outside of BeginPlay()

[JonasDST (Vikunja5)]

I want to set a mesh to an actor that is spawned at a custom time and place in UE5.3. I tried using the SetStaticMesh() method. Everything works fine in the BeginPlay() method.

However, when I move the SetStaticMesh method out of the BeginPlay() method, e.g. in a timer, the mesh is not set to the actor. Even though the actor is spawned, as shown in the editor.

Are there other ways to set a mesh to an actor or is there something wrong with the code?

I have attached a minimal example.

I can only find examples that place the method in BeginPlay().
See also here: Spawning Static Mesh Actors at runtime - #2 by Hakaishin0895

// SpawnMinimal.h

#pragma once

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/Actor.h"
#include "TimerManager.h"
#include "SpawnMinimal.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class SPAWNEMPTY_API ASpawnMinimal : public AActor
{
	GENERATED_BODY()
	
public:	
	// Sets default values for this actor's properties
	ASpawnMinimal();

protected:
	// Called when the game starts or when spawned
	virtual void BeginPlay() override;

public:	
	// Called every frame
	virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;

	// Schedule actor spawning
	FTimerHandle TimerHandle;
	void ScheduledSpawn();

};

// SpawnMinimal.cpp
#include "SpawnMinimal.h"
#include "Components/StaticMeshComponent.h"
#include "Components/SphereComponent.h"
#include "Engine/StaticMesh.h"
#include "Engine/StaticMeshActor.h"
#include "Engine/Engine.h"


// Sets default values
ASpawnMinimal::ASpawnMinimal()
{
 	// Set this actor to call Tick() every frame.  You can turn this off to improve performance if you don't need it.
	PrimaryActorTick.bCanEverTick = true;

}

// Called when the game starts or when spawned
void ASpawnMinimal::BeginPlay()
{
	Super::BeginPlay();

	GetWorld()->GetTimerManager().SetTimer(ASpawnMinimal::TimerHandle, this, &ASpawnMinimal::ScheduledSpawn, 1.0f, false);

	// Load the mesh asset
	UStaticMesh* MeshAsset = Cast<UStaticMesh>(StaticLoadObject(UStaticMesh::StaticClass(), nullptr, TEXT("/Engine/EngineMeshes/Sphere")));

	// Spawn the mesh actor
	AStaticMeshActor* MeshActor = GetWorld()->SpawnActor<AStaticMeshActor>(AStaticMeshActor::StaticClass(), FVector(0.f, 1000.f, 0.f), FRotator(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f));

	MeshActor->GetStaticMeshComponent()->SetStaticMesh(MeshAsset);
	
}

// Called every frame
void ASpawnMinimal::Tick(float DeltaTime)
{
	Super::Tick(DeltaTime);

}

void ASpawnMinimal::ScheduledSpawn()
{
	// Load the mesh asset
	UStaticMesh* MeshAsset = Cast<UStaticMesh>(StaticLoadObject(UStaticMesh::StaticClass(), nullptr, TEXT("/Engine/EngineMeshes/Sphere")));

	// Spawn the mesh actor
	AStaticMeshActor* MeshActor = GetWorld()->SpawnActor<AStaticMeshActor>(AStaticMeshActor::StaticClass(), FVector(0.f, 100.f, 0.f), FRotator(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f));

	MeshActor->GetStaticMeshComponent()->SetStaticMesh(MeshAsset);
}

[JonasDST (Vikunja5)]

Setting the AStaticMeshActor to stationary after spawning it and before adding the Mesh did solve it.
MeshActor->SetMobility(EComponentMobility::Stationary);

Also have a look here: Spawning Static Mesh Actors at runtime - #2 by Hakaishin0895