Add "Scale" setting to Screen Ruler to match Window's scaling features

[JacobDB]

Description of the new feature / enhancement

When "Scale" is set to a value other than 100%, that value is used to adjust the output value of Screen Ruler's measurements.

Scenario when this would be used?

When building a website on a display set to anything other than 100% Scale, taking measurements becomes very complicated. For example, if within Windows Display settings, I set "Scale" to "150%", an element set to width: 100px; will render as 150px wide, and Screen Ruler will output the render width rather than the specified width.

This creates difficulty when trying to compare a design to a mockup, or even to accurately take measurements between elements. Adding a "Scale" feature to Screen Ruler, which would match the Windows Display "Scale" feature, and basically "undo" the scaling via math, would dramatically simplify this process.

Supporting information

No response

[yuyoyuppe]

Thank you for the suggestion, we'll implement it in the next release.

[nemalsomel]

Has the mentioned feature been implemented or has it not been completed yet? (I experienced the same behavior in Powertoys v0.70.1)

[JacobDB]

I haven't seen any movement on this, I'd like a status update as well. I'd love to use this tool, but I simply can't without this feature.

[danieljetbrains]

I agree, the tool is useless on hi-dpi screens

[Jay-o-Way]

My opinion is that screen rules should measure pixels. A developer has to be aware of (and test for) scaling anyway and a user should simply be aware of the scaling they're using. But that's me.

[JacobDB]

@Jay-o-Way that's fine if that's what you prefer, but I don't see why adding a setting for this would be an issue. If you don't want to use it, simply don't turn on the setting. For me, I find it really annoying having to constantly multiple things by 0.6667 to get accurate numbers to use with CSS. I'm well aware of my scaling factor, and do account for it, but why is it better to have to take the extra step of pulling out a calculator to do the conversion, rather than just doing the conversion automatically?

[amrmabdelazeem]

Has this issue been handled already?

[JacobDB]

@amrmabdelazeem I don't think so, I've yet to see a setting for it.

[frozenwind85]

Yes. I think it can also show two results together, actual pixel and "scale adjusted" pixel. Actually, "scale adjusted" pixel is more useful in most cases, especially for website and UI related work. If you are not doing these kinds of work, why would you need this tool?

[JacobDB]

@frozenwind85, where is the setting for this? It only shows me one measurement; the unscaled measurement. It doesn't give me both. And in fact, I am doing website and UI related work, which is why I want scaled numbers, or ideally both. Not sure why you'd assume otherwise 🤔

[Jay-o-Way]

My opinion is that it's good to remember what the real pixels are. But adding the factor and/or scaled pixels next to that is good too. Maybe something like "480 × 150% = 720".

@frozenwind85 there is no such setting. Maybe some day.

[sethlivingston]

I don't know what the use case is for wanting to measure real pixels. This tool is useless to me as a web developer using high DPI monitors. Please add this as an option.

[geekyval]

Pretty please add this feature!

[sbkates]

Yes. I think it can also show two results together, actual pixel and "scale adjusted" pixel. Actually, "scale adjusted" pixel is more useful in most cases, especially for website and UI related work. If you are not doing these kinds of work, why would you need this tool?

Exactly - the main users of this ruler tool are probably doing something like web dev / UI work. We all need big monitors to see as much design/code as possible, this is probably a common problem for users of Screen Ruler.