An arrangement for automatically contactlessly detecting elongate objects (W), such as cables, wires or profiles, has a quasi-coaxially arranged group of a first optical measuring
system (D) for determining the external
diameter and a second optical measuring
system (C) for determining the color using a different measurement principle. The functional and local separation of the two measuring systems (C, D) is achieved by using different
wavelength ranges and by a long-pass filter (C3). A third, virtual measuring
system (P) may be provided for the purpose of determining the cable location and is used to weight measured values of the
color measurement and measured values of an optional
eddy current sensor. The optical measuring systems (D, C, P) for determining the
diameter, the color and the position have a common
optical disc-shaped measuring volume (DCPv) which is preferably arranged centrally in the guide device (4a, 4b) for the elongate object (W).