Shadows - Turn Off Per Symbol?

[KayNordby]

I often build huge cylinders to represent a client's distant view.  I paint them with a panorama made from lot photos.  The cylinder cast a giant shadow over the terrain and house.  Is there a way to set the property of a symbol so that it will NOT cast a shadow?  

[Joe_Carrick]

No, but you can use a Spherical Panoramic Backdrop

 

Spherical Panoramic Backdrops

Spherical Panoramic Backdrops are a special type of backdrop that wraps around the model in 3D views as though it were applied to a sphere surrounding it. It takes an image processing program or special camera to generate spherical panoramic backdrops.

If you have such a file, you can specify it as your Backdrop image, then check Spherical Panoramic Backdrop in the 3D View Defaults dialog.

The Use Generated Sky option in the 3D View Defaults dialog produces a special Spherical Panoramic Backdrop that simulates a daytime sky using the Generic Sun or active Sun Angle  data. See Sun Angles and Shadows.

[Alaskan_Son]

We had the ability to turn off shadows on an item by item basis in another program I used for a while, and honestly I think it might be a feature worth considering in Chief.

[KayNordby]

Yep, there is an option for any mesh to "hide to global illumination" in Blender and Maxwell.  I was just wishing that I could get the same effect while doing the shadow renderings in Chief.  Would be so cool!
 

I have tried the Spherical Panoramic Backdrops, but I cannot get the control I want regarding North South East & West placement... maybe I have just not fiddled with it enough.  Thanks for the reply.  I will give it a go!