I just switched to AutoCAD 2016....created simple 3D Solids model.  I've described usual 3D polyline camera path.  Lightingunits = 1, Default lighting = off, Distant lighting = off, just a user defined light on.  Full shadow effect selected....All objects in model "Cast and receive shadows"....I see the shadow as I view the model.  I animate the model along prescribed path as .mpg file.  I review .mpg file.  There are no shadows in the animation except for those on the object faces, i.e. no shadows cast from one object onto another....  Does anyone out there know why, or what I may be doing wrong?  All of this works no problem in my AutoCAD 2013. Thank you for any feedback. Brou

Hello Brou, I don't use shadows but I use the ANIPATH command and maybe you haven't set all the parameters.You can ( and I recommend it because it being shorter in time past to realise the avi file ) set your file in 3dwireframe and set the anipath settings in conceptual , realistic or shaded , etc.Eventually see my file : CUBE_ANIPATH_02.dwg that you will find in the CAD/BIM Blocks library right here in the site.Launch a search with : UPDATED DISCOVER THE ANIPATH COMMAND because there are two files with the same name.please tell me ( us ) if this helped or not and also the result of yours tests.

Hi Philippe Joseph, Thank you.  I am running animated file as realistic visual style.  The shadow effect works well in our plant design models to show depth between elements.  I run my anipath, and have no trouble creating the animation file....I've been running .mpg file....its just that as I view the model, in realistic visual style, with full shadows selected, I see the shadows just as I expect to see, but post running anipath, and I review the movie output, the shadows aren't there.  They don't appear in the movie. I will review the files you've suggested, and also run test in 3D wireframe as you suggest as .avi file.  I will let you know. Thanks very much for your help. Brou

Hello Brou, on the file that I have uploaded for "ANIPTAH discovery" you will find a 3Dpolyline that I have drawn to be the "camera path" and it goes 1 turn around the 3D part horizontally and then 1 turn around the 3D part with an inclined trajectory.Anything regarding the ANIPATH command is OK for me. 

Thank you philippe Joseph. The trouble I'm having (and I have a call into AutoCAD Support, which relays to me that there appears to be an "issue"), is that shadows that I've enabled in user defined lighting in my 3D model do not show up (appear) in my completed animation .mpg file or .avi file for that matter. Brou