time-conversion

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();

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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