Abstract: The invention relates to the simple and low-cost production of an electronic measuring tape (10) comprising an external housing (12) provided with a tape exit opening (14), a tape winding-up device (20), a tape (30) which is wound up in the tape winding-up device (20) and is withdrawable from the external housing (12) through the tape exit opening (14), wherein said tape is provided with first and second surfaces. A radiation source (50) is arranged between the tape exit opening (14) and the tape winding-up device (20) for sending a beam to the first surface of the tape (30). A detecting device (60) is placed at the side of the second surface of the tape (30) for receiving the beam and transmitting data representing the received radiation to an evaluation device (70) for determining, from these data, the length of the tape (30) extracted through the tape exit opening (14).