A measurement tool overlay program that after initial placement in or around the object field, automatically identifies (in ‘expand’ mode) any distance between objects by other programs that are displayed on the screen relative to a starting point between the objects. Measures is provided of the dimensions of any object, or group of objects by accessing the picture elements (pixels) in the memory associated with the display screen. Alternate embodiments according to the present invention operate in ‘contract’ mode. In ‘contract’ mode, the present invention also provides the measurements of an end user-placed rectangular boundary around any given object(s), or distance between outside edges of clusters of object(s) immediately. The box will contract to the size (edge) of the area as defined by pixels, which may be part of one or more objects within the area and provide the dimensions automatically.