How to have "Location:" set to Manual by default when using the Place Note tool
Setting the 'Location: Manual' can be performed in the Tool Settings dialog at time of placement. If File > Save Settings is applied this will be remembered unless changed.
The Place Note Tool Setting 'Location' can also be controlled via the Dimension Style Placement setting.
Thus if required a Dimension Style can be created with this setting and others predefined within a dgnlib and shared.
The saved Dimension Style within a dgnlib can then be configured for all, and selectable via the Place Note Tool Settings.
How-to-create-a-Dimension-Style
How-to-change-dimensions-defined-as-style-none-to-use-style-setting-from-dgnlib