Ruler

Digitizing the average workplace means sacrificing a number of elements that would behave differently in real-life. However, thanks to the open-source community, rulers do not have to be one of them. Whether your application lacks a built-in measuring tool or you want to find out how a printed logo would fit on your business card, Ruler can help you out through its handy resizable and movable widget.

Due to its portable design, users do not have to go through an installation wizard in order to start using its features. Instead, double-clicking the executable file launches the ruler itself and places it directly on the desktop, where users can reposition it anywhere, according to their specific needs. While running in the background, the program can also be found in the taskbar, for users to quickly pin it or dismiss it with ease.

The primary way of interacting with the interface is through the right-click context menu, where one can set the ruler to stay on top of other windows, giving users the flexibility they need in any application of their choice. Moreover, the program lets you set its opacity to lower levels, making it useful for measuring thicker objects with the ruler’s double-edged indicators for maximum precision.

Depending on the length of the page you want to print, or the dimensions of the 3D object you want to design, the ruler can also be stretched up to 3860 pixels, which is useful for a single, ultra-high-definition setup, or a multi-monitor full HD layout that spans across two or more screens.

What is more, users who want to replicate Microsoft Word’s multi-orientation rulers can do so thanks to the ability to run multiple instances of the same app, with the choice of setting any of them to vertical orientation. This can help you increase the accuracy of your measurements by viewing them from all angles.

In terms of improvements, the program could use a rotation radius feature, similar to Microsoft’s own ruler tool present in the Windows Ink Workspace toolset, or in the Paint3D app. Alternatively, an optional dark mode through color inversion could also be useful for nighttime designing sessions.

Whether you want to print labels and Microsoft Word’s default rulers are not precise enough, or you want to visualize the real-life measurements of 3D objects before bringing blueprints into the real plane, Ruler can be of great use thanks to its portable format and customizable opacity.