Linear dimension lengths in the drawing have gone - solid line only?!?

I am a complete newbie to drafting and draftsight so please excuse my silly  question, but all of a sudden I cannot view on the screen a linear dimension that I have set (I previously could).  I just see a solid line, without the numbers of the length or angle etc. I am plotting correctly I believe....setting the 1st extension line, then 2nd, then I drag the line to the screen position I would like the dimension to appear on, and at this point I do not physically see a dimension appear on the cursor like I used to. The line just stays solid and I can only see the dimension length in the  dimension pallette (if I have it turned on).  How to I get the dimension to re-appear into the drawing/on the screen?.