Too many bugs with "dimension" objets! Please rethink these objects from scratch for the next major version!

I use “dimension” objects a lot, but there are way too many bugs, which even corrupt files and make them unusable! So please look into these issues and stabilize these objects for the next major version of CorelDraw.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of issues encountered:

• In many cases (but not always), creating a dimension between two objects will also create a copy of those objects, which complicates the file. These copies should not exist!

• In many cases (but not always), creating a dimension between two objects that belong to different layers will cause one of the two objects to be moved to the other object's layer. This should not happen!

• If a dimension object is anchored to object A, object A can no longer be edited.

• If a dimension is anchored to a group of objects G, this group G can no longer be edited: it is impossible to delete one of the members of this group, even if that member is not the one to which the dimension is anchored. It is impossible to select a particular member of the group to modify certain properties or change its order in the group, etc.

• It is impossible to place dimensions in a specific layer: In many cases, the objects on which the dimensions are anchored are also moved to this layer. In the worst case, this can even corrupt the file and make it unusable!

• In many cases, the anchor of a dimension that is supposed to be anchored to two objects A and B is immediately broken: if object A or B is moved, the dimension measurement is not updated and the anchor point does not move with the moved object! You have to delete the dimension object and recreate it: this makes no sense!

The way anchors are managed really needs to be completely revised:

1. The anchor links between a dimension object D anchored to two other objects A and B should be managed transparently for the user, regardless of whether objects A and B:

   1. Are in the same layer

   2. Are themselves associated with other functions such as transparency, dynamic outline, text anchored to the object, etc.

   3. Are members of an object group or not (a dimension should NEVER be anchored to a group, but ONLY to an individual object that is a member of the group), which would allow ungrouping without having to delete the dimension

2. Dimension objects should be able to be placed in a specific layer, but the objects to which they are anchored should remain in their own location in the objects tree (they should stay in their own layers, at their own location in the tree). This would allow the visibility or printing of dimensions (and only dimensions) to be changed without breaking the structure (layers) of the rest of the project.

3. Anchors should be stable over time. It is unacceptable that the anchor of a dimension D on objects A and B should be deleted and, as a result, the value of the dimension should not be updated if object A or B is moved.

4. Anchors on an object belonging to a group should not prevent the group from being ungrouped or the order of objects in the group from being changed

5. Under NO circumstances should creating a dimension between two objects generate a copy of those objects

6. It should be possible to modify anchor points after creating a dimension.

7. If you try to anchor/snap a dimension to a location where several points overlap (belonging to different objects), it should be possible to choose the object to which you want to anchor the dimension (pop-up menu listing the possible objects and the type of anchor for each object (point, edge, midpoint, etc.)

8. Obviously, if an object (or just a point on the object) to which a dimension is anchored is deleted, it would be good if CorelDraw asked what you want to do: delete the dimension, don't delete the dimension but re-anchor it to another point/object, etc. (You could possibly add an option in CorelDraw preferences to indicate the default behavior of CorelDraw.)

9. Etc.

I know that this will certainly require a change to the internal file structure. Therefore, any file initially created with an older version will need to undergo a structure update. I also understand that this may cause some problems when saving a “new version” file in an older version of CorelDraw. But that's the price we have to pay... And besides, I am confident that your engineers will find a solution to these problems!

In short, Corel, please! For goodness' sake! Review from A to Z the way you manage “Dimension” objects! You can't imagine how grateful your users (your customers!) will be!