Time Conversion¶

These methods are all about converting between various time formats.

Tip

If you want more control over the look of timecode in your footage, use the timeToCurrentFormat() method or other timeTo methods to generate the timecode instead of using the Timecode or Numbers effect.

Example¶

You can easily format and animate the timecode text by creating a text layer, applying whatever text styling you'd like, and adding this expression to the Source Text property:

timeToCurrentFormat();

Methods¶

framesToTime()¶

framesToTime(frames[, fps=1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration])

Description¶

Returns the time corresponding to the frames argument. It doesn't have to be an integer.

The inverse of timeToFrames().

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`frames`	Number	The amount of frames to convert.
`fps`	Number	Optional. The number of frames per second to use to convert. Defaults to `1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration` (the frame rate of the current composition).

Returns¶

Number

timeToCurrentFormat()¶

timeToCurrentFormat([t=time + thisComp.displayStartTime][, fps=1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration][, isDuration=false][, ntscDropFrame=thisComp.ntscDropFrame])

Description¶

Converts the value of t to a String representing time in the current Project Settings display format.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The time (in seconds) to convert. Defaults to `time + thisComp.displayStartTime`.
`fps`	Number	Optional. Defaults to `1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration` (the frame rate of the current composition).
`isDuration`	Boolean	Optional. Whether `t` represents a difference between two times, vs an absolute time. Absolute times are rounded down toward negative infinity; durations are rounded away from zero (up for positive values). Defaults to `false`.
`ntscDropFrame`	Boolean	Optional. If `false`, the result is NTSC non-drop-frame timecode. If `true`, the result is NTSC drop-frame timecode. Defaults to `thisComp.ntscDropFrame`.

Note

The ntscDropFrame argument was added in After Effects CS5.5.

Returns¶

String

timeToFeetAndFrames()¶

timeToFeetAndFrames([t=time + thisComp.displayStartTime][, fps=1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration][, framesPerFoot=16][, isDuration=false])

Description¶

Converts the value of t to a String representing feet of film and frames.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The time (in seconds) to convert. Defaults to `time + thisComp.displayStartTime`.
`framesPerFoot`	Number	Optional. Specifies the number of frames in one foot of film. Defaults to `16` (the most common rate for 35mm footage).
`isDuration`	Boolean	Optional. Whether `t` represents a difference between two times, vs an absolute time. Absolute times are rounded down toward negative infinity; durations are rounded away from zero (up for positive values). Defaults to `false`.

Returns¶

String

timeToFrames()¶

timeToFrames([t=time + thisComp.displayStartTime][, fps=1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration][, isDuration=false])

Description¶

Converts the value of t (some amount of time, in seconds) to an integer number of frames.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The time (in seconds) to convert. Defaults to `time + thisComp.displayStartTime`.
`fps`	Number	Optional. The number of frames per second to use to convert. Defaults to `1.0 / thisComp.frameDuration` (the frame rate of the current composition).
`isDuration`	Boolean	Optional. Whether `t` represents a difference between two times, vs an absolute time. Absolute times are rounded down toward negative infinity; durations are rounded away from zero (up for positive values). Defaults to `false`.

Returns¶

Number

timeToNTSCTimecode()¶

timeToNTSCTimecode([t=time + thisComp.displayStartTime][, ntscDropFrame=false][, isDuration=false])

Description¶

Converts t to a String representing NTSC timecode.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The time (in seconds) to convert. Defaults to `time + thisComp.displayStartTime`.
`ntscDropFrame`	Boolean	Optional. If `false`, the result is NTSC non-drop-frame timecode. If `true`, the result is NTSC drop-frame timecode. Defaults to `false`.
`isDuration`	Boolean	Optional. Whether `t` represents a difference between two times, vs an absolute time. Absolute times are rounded down toward negative infinity; durations are rounded away from zero (up for positive values). Defaults to `false`.

Returns¶

String

timeToTimecode()¶

timeToTimecode([t=time + thisComp.displayStartTime][, timecodeBase=30][, isDuration=false])

Description¶

Converts the value of t to a String representing timecode.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Description
`t`	Number	Optional. The time (in seconds) to convert. Defaults to `time + thisComp.displayStartTime`.
`timecodeBase`	Number	Optional. Specifies the number of frames in one second. Defaults to `30`.
`isDuration`	Boolean	Optional. Whether `t` represents a difference between two times, vs an absolute time. Absolute times are rounded down toward negative infinity; durations are rounded away from zero (up for positive values). Defaults to `false`.

Returns¶

String