Can't place hardware on ships where I want them

OK is it me or is the ship designer horribly broken?  It will not let me place weapons, shields, engines, etc where I want them on the ship.  it just randomly places them willy nilly.  On GC III you could put items on the ship where ever you wanted granted there was a connection point available.  On this no CP's show up and all you get is a dialog box saying drag componant into the box.  Then you get parts all over the place.....engines sticking out cockpit, weapons pointing straight up through the hull, etc.  What am I missing?