diff --git a/src/odb/include/odb/db.h b/src/odb/include/odb/db.h
index bf2d747c1d6..53ea8f98d46 100644
--- a/src/odb/include/odb/db.h
+++ b/src/odb/include/odb/db.h
@@ -7460,9 +7460,13 @@ class dbGDSARef : public dbObject
 
   dbGDSSTrans getTransform() const;
 
-  void set_colRow(const std::pair<int16_t, int16_t>& colRow);
+  void setNumRows(int16_t num_rows);
 
-  std::pair<int16_t, int16_t> get_colRow() const;
+  int16_t getNumRows() const;
+
+  void setNumColumns(int16_t num_columns);
+
+  int16_t getNumColumns() const;
 
   // User Code Begin dbGDSARef
   dbGDSStructure* getStructure() const;
diff --git a/src/odb/src/codeGenerator/schema/gds/dbGDSARef.json b/src/odb/src/codeGenerator/schema/gds/dbGDSARef.json
index fef1666f796..d129c3c9346 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/codeGenerator/schema/gds/dbGDSARef.json
+++ b/src/odb/src/codeGenerator/schema/gds/dbGDSARef.json
@@ -25,9 +25,14 @@
         "flags":[]
       },
       {
-        "name":"_colRow",
-        "type":"std::pair<int16_t,int16_t>",
-        "flags":["no-template"]
+        "name":"_num_rows",
+        "type":"int16_t",
+        "default":"1"
+      },
+      {
+        "name":"_num_columns",
+        "type":"int16_t",
+        "default":"1"
       },
       {
         "name":"_structure",
diff --git a/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.cpp b/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.cpp
index dff706aafac..8cabe3f9ce8 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.cpp
+++ b/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ bool _dbGDSARef::operator==(const _dbGDSARef& rhs) const
   if (_ul != rhs._ul) {
     return false;
   }
+  if (_num_rows != rhs._num_rows) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (_num_columns != rhs._num_columns) {
+    return false;
+  }
   if (_structure != rhs._structure) {
     return false;
   }
@@ -76,6 +82,8 @@ void _dbGDSARef::differences(dbDiff& diff,
   DIFF_FIELD(_origin);
   DIFF_FIELD(_lr);
   DIFF_FIELD(_ul);
+  DIFF_FIELD(_num_rows);
+  DIFF_FIELD(_num_columns);
   DIFF_FIELD(_structure);
   DIFF_END
 }
@@ -86,6 +94,8 @@ void _dbGDSARef::out(dbDiff& diff, char side, const char* field) const
   DIFF_OUT_FIELD(_origin);
   DIFF_OUT_FIELD(_lr);
   DIFF_OUT_FIELD(_ul);
+  DIFF_OUT_FIELD(_num_rows);
+  DIFF_OUT_FIELD(_num_columns);
   DIFF_OUT_FIELD(_structure);
 
   DIFF_END
@@ -93,6 +103,8 @@ void _dbGDSARef::out(dbDiff& diff, char side, const char* field) const
 
 _dbGDSARef::_dbGDSARef(_dbDatabase* db)
 {
+  _num_rows = 1;
+  _num_columns = 1;
 }
 
 _dbGDSARef::_dbGDSARef(_dbDatabase* db, const _dbGDSARef& r)
@@ -100,6 +112,8 @@ _dbGDSARef::_dbGDSARef(_dbDatabase* db, const _dbGDSARef& r)
   _origin = r._origin;
   _lr = r._lr;
   _ul = r._ul;
+  _num_rows = r._num_rows;
+  _num_columns = r._num_columns;
   _structure = r._structure;
 }
 
@@ -110,7 +124,8 @@ dbIStream& operator>>(dbIStream& stream, _dbGDSARef& obj)
   stream >> obj._ul;
   stream >> obj._propattr;
   stream >> obj._transform;
-  stream >> obj._colRow;
+  stream >> obj._num_rows;
+  stream >> obj._num_columns;
   stream >> obj._structure;
   return stream;
 }
@@ -122,7 +137,8 @@ dbOStream& operator<<(dbOStream& stream, const _dbGDSARef& obj)
   stream << obj._ul;
   stream << obj._propattr;
   stream << obj._transform;
-  stream << obj._colRow;
+  stream << obj._num_rows;
+  stream << obj._num_columns;
   stream << obj._structure;
   return stream;
 }
@@ -185,17 +201,30 @@ dbGDSSTrans dbGDSARef::getTransform() const
   return obj->_transform;
 }
 
-void dbGDSARef::set_colRow(const std::pair<int16_t, int16_t>& colRow)
+void dbGDSARef::setNumRows(int16_t num_rows)
+{
+  _dbGDSARef* obj = (_dbGDSARef*) this;
+
+  obj->_num_rows = num_rows;
+}
+
+int16_t dbGDSARef::getNumRows() const
+{
+  _dbGDSARef* obj = (_dbGDSARef*) this;
+  return obj->_num_rows;
+}
+
+void dbGDSARef::setNumColumns(int16_t num_columns)
 {
   _dbGDSARef* obj = (_dbGDSARef*) this;
 
-  obj->_colRow = colRow;
+  obj->_num_columns = num_columns;
 }
 
-std::pair<int16_t, int16_t> dbGDSARef::get_colRow() const
+int16_t dbGDSARef::getNumColumns() const
 {
   _dbGDSARef* obj = (_dbGDSARef*) this;
-  return obj->_colRow;
+  return obj->_num_columns;
 }
 
 // User Code Begin dbGDSARefPublicMethods
diff --git a/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.h b/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.h
index 5258d8c719e..e97c132eb8d 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.h
+++ b/src/odb/src/db/dbGDSARef.h
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ class _dbGDSARef : public _dbObject
   Point _ul;
   std::vector<std::pair<std::int16_t, std::string>> _propattr;
   dbGDSSTrans _transform;
-  std::pair<int16_t, int16_t> _colRow;
+  int16_t _num_rows;
+  int16_t _num_columns;
   dbId<_dbGDSStructure> _structure;
 };
 dbIStream& operator>>(dbIStream& stream, _dbGDSARef& obj);
diff --git a/src/odb/src/gdsin/gdsin.cpp b/src/odb/src/gdsin/gdsin.cpp
index eb612dcd5d1..0fc3b0a02d4 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/gdsin/gdsin.cpp
+++ b/src/odb/src/gdsin/gdsin.cpp
@@ -398,10 +398,9 @@ dbGDSARef* GDSReader::processARef(dbGDSStructure* structure)
   }
 
   if (_r.type == RecordType::COLROW) {
-    aref->set_colRow({_r.data16[0], _r.data16[1]});
+    aref->setNumColumns(_r.data16[0]);
+    aref->setNumRows(_r.data16[1]);
     readRecord();
-  } else {
-    aref->set_colRow({1, 1});
   }
 
   std::vector<Point> points = processXY();
diff --git a/src/odb/src/gdsout/gdsout.cpp b/src/odb/src/gdsout/gdsout.cpp
index 07ca6cab2b7..b354293e666 100644
--- a/src/odb/src/gdsout/gdsout.cpp
+++ b/src/odb/src/gdsout/gdsout.cpp
@@ -388,7 +388,6 @@ void GDSWriter::writeSRef(dbGDSSRef* sref)
 void GDSWriter::writeARef(dbGDSARef* aref)
 {
   record_t r;
-  auto colrow = aref->get_colRow();
   r.type = RecordType::AREF;
   r.dataType = DataType::NO_DATA;
   writeRecord(r);
@@ -403,11 +402,13 @@ void GDSWriter::writeARef(dbGDSARef* aref)
     writeSTrans(aref->getTransform());
   }
 
-  if (colrow.first != 1 || colrow.second != 1) {
+  const int16_t cols = aref->getNumColumns();
+  const int16_t rows = aref->getNumRows();
+  if (cols != 1 || rows != 1) {
     record_t r4;
     r4.type = RecordType::COLROW;
     r4.dataType = DataType::INT_2;
-    r4.data16 = {colrow.first, colrow.second};
+    r4.data16 = {cols, rows};
     writeRecord(r4);
   }