[jwatte]

That sounds annoying! I've never seen that, within a sketch.
Outside a sketch (in actual modeling,) then the dimensions are only visible for as long as a sketch is visible.
If you use the sketch to generate a feature, then the sketch is automatically hidden, and any dimensions that came from that sketch, are also hidden. Maybe that's what you're seeing?

[jttoner]

I believe you've got it. I usually hand code and it's important to see the dimensions. Typically I write the code while viewing a blueprint. Seems my expectations are wrong for CAD generated code.