Dimensioning issues

 Hi all, and thanks in advance for your help.
I am having problems with the dimensioning.
I have an object drawn. I go to dimension. I have free snap and snap on endpoints. So I snap on the two points. I get the dimmesion line on top of the object line and the text right on the line. This puts the line right through the text.
 In the wiki it says to move the curser to where I want the dimension line without clicking, but as soon as I move the curser it places it perminantly on the object line. Only way I can get rid of it is to undo.

Update, I am not sure how I did it but I got it off of the object line.
But now another issue. I have the units set to inches. I draw a line set to 3.75inches. When I dimension it it says the it is only 0.375 inches long.

Check in Options - Current drawing preferences - Dimensions the 'Length Factor'. It normally should read '1'. Other factors are only of use to manipulate the dimensions readings for special cases.

WOW ! So simple. Now I really feel old . LOL
 The length factor was at 0.1, makes sense now that I look at it again.
Thank you.