---
title: "Time"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/NET_MAXON_PATTERN_NODE_UTILITY_TIME.html"
section_path: "The Node Editor > The individual Assets > Info > Time"
element_id: "NET_MAXON_PATTERN_NODE_UTILITY_TIME"
description: "This page documents the Time node of the classic node materials in Cinema 4D. It outputs current time and frame data — the driver for animated material …"
---

# Time

> **Note:** **What is it about?**
>
> This page documents the **Time node** of the classic node materials in **Cinema 4D**. It outputs current time and frame data — the driver for animated material properties without keyframes.

![Image: 042305.jpg](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/042305.jpg)\
If the current system time or, for example, the scene's frame number is input into a material, changes made to parameters can be automated. In this example, a Basic Color Gradient is sampled in regular temporal intervals.

Whenever you want to make material properties or rendering dependent on the animation phase, the current time or frame number within the animation can be valuable information. This Node makes this and other information available.