---
title: "Hierarchy Operator"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/GVHIERARCHY.html"
section_path: "XPresso > XPresso Nodes > Iterator (Group) > Hierarchy Operator"
element_id: "GVHIERARCHY"
description: "This Node first locates a position in an object hierarchy, as defined by a Reference Path and a Start Path. From this position in the hierarchy, the Node …"
---

# Hierarchy Operator

![Image: 004737.jpg](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/004737.jpg)\
Paths enable you to access groups of objects at any position in the hierarchy. In this example, the Hierarchy node outputs the three Sphere objects.

This Node first locates a position in an object hierarchy, as defined by a Reference Path and a Start Path. From this position in the hierarchy, the Node then follows a repeatable Iteration Path and outputs all of the objects it meets as it travels along the **iteration** path. The Node is controlled primarily in the **Attribute Manager**.

![Image: 004738.jpg](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/004738.jpg)

Object groups can be read out from anywhere in the object hierarchy by simply entering a corresponding path. In the example above three sphere objects will be searched for consecutively using the path defined and subsequently read out consecutively at the object output.