Annotation alignment. How does it work?

At the SW2007 update training, we were shown a niceinferencing system between annotations (particularly dimensions).When dragged the dimension(s) would hover as they passed others;ideal! When we installed the update though, no alignment cursor.Just the same old 'hit and miss' inferencing that has always beenthere. Please could someone give me a crash course in dynamic,automatic, annotation alignment - I've been using SW since '97 butnever quite got the hang of it. Assuming the grid is off, it seemsthe inferencing can vary depending on the zoom level and complexityof surrounding geometry. Whilst this is not usually a problem forsketch entities (relations can be added afterwards), it tends tomake placing dimensions and notes fiddly, jumpy, sticky and largelyunpredictable.
Just to make this a little more tricky, it seems that it is not acontrol point in the dimension text or leaders that is used toposition the target dimension, but rather, the exact position ofthe mouse pointer when the annotation is selected. This means, ofcourse, that there is seemingly no resultant alignment at all.
My usual method of alignment is just to zoom right in and eye-ballit!

I supplose what I am after would be, perhaps, to be able to placea first dimension free-hand and then drop subsequent dimensions atsensible gaps above the first. When dragging existing dimensions,they would jump one dimension space at a time, relative to thegroup immediately surrounding them irrespective of the zoom level.

I know there is the grid, ordinate dimensions, dimXpert etc. (butthey all seem to have their own problems). To me the surest way todiemsion a drawing is with reference dimensions placed by hand. Itall just seems a bit haphazard to me. Anyone else think so? Ifsomeone could tell me the rules for inferencing and perhaps how tocontrol them, that would be great.

Sorry if this sounds like a 'bitch'. I actually think SolidWorks isfantastic-always have!SolidworksDrawings And Detailing