# Why is there a AddChildActorComponent Function?

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/why-is-there-a-addchildactorcomponent-function/299589>\
**Category:** Blueprint\
**Tags:** child-actor-componen, unreal-engine, CPP, Blueprint, question\
**Created:** [November 22, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/why-is-there-a-addchildactorcomponent-function/299589 "2014-11-22T04:49:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tsun4mi\_1](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Tsun4mi\_1](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Tsun4mi_1)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 4:49am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/why-is-there-a-addchildactorcomponent-function/299589/1 "2014-11-22T04:49:02Z")

</div>

I’ve looked at this function for quite a while and I see no way to actually specify what class the child actor component will be. I’m aware that I can spawn an actor and attach it to my parent actor, but what is the point of this function? Who would use it if you can’t specify the class?

I probably just missed something simple. Hopefully someone on here can shed some light on this.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nathan.fiscaletti\_1](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Nathan.fiscaletti\_1](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Nathan.fiscaletti_1)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/why-is-there-a-addchildactorcomponent-function/299589/2 "2014-12-03T18:50:14Z")

</div>

You can change which class is added by clicking on the “Add ChildActorComponent” node and looking in the details panel under “Child Actor Component”.

 ![22885-childactorclass.png](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/8/b/c/8bc1f63d4a5e98da56041aa52cee8452e69bed65.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BujakD](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@BujakD](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/BujakD)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/why-is-there-a-addchildactorcomponent-function/299589/3 "2015-06-10T19:22:39Z")

</div>

OK, but how to change this value from blueprint?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Envisioner](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Envisioner](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Envisioner)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/why-is-there-a-addchildactorcomponent-function/299589/4 "2015-06-25T21:08:44Z")

</div>

It would appear that the node itself does not possess an input pin for the class of actor component you wish to attach. For whatever reason that is the current design. If you wish to make a feature request for them to add it, you can do so. Or you could just click on the node, and modify it directly as Nathan suggested. Another alternative would be to make your own node in C++ that simply references the existing node object, but adds another parameter to the function (sort of a wrapper function). That way, the new function will have the additional input pin that you are expecting.  
Here is a link to a quick guide on creating custom nodes:

> **[A new, community-hosted Unreal Engine Wiki](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/a-new-community-hosted-unreal-engine-wiki/141494)**
>
> After over a year in maintenance mode, the official Unreal Engine Wiki is now permanently offline. These resources now live on a new community-run Unreal Engine Community Wiki — ue4community.wiki! You will be able to find content from the official...