You can specify whether you want to automatically lock the dimension that you create or modify by setting the value of the sketcher_dimension_autolock configuration option to yes. Alternatively, click File > Options > Sketcher and then click Lock user defined dimensions.
After you specify that user-defined dimensions are to be locked, all dimensions that you subsequently create or modify are locked automatically. Dimensions created before you set automatic locking maintain their status.
The locked state of a dimension is not retained if the dimension is referenced in a relation, as the relation takes priority over the locked status of the dimension.