To create an attribute, you first create an attribute definition, which describes the characteristics of the attribute. The characteristics include the tag, the prompt displayed when you insert the block, value information, text formatting, location, and any optional modes (Invisible, Constant, Verify, and Preset).
After creating the attribute definition, you select it as one of the objects when you define the block. Then, whenever you insert the block, AutoCAD LT prompts you with the text you specified for the attribute. For each new block insertion, you can specify a different value for the attribute.
To use several attributes together, define them and then include them in the same block. For example, you can define attributes tagged "Parts," "Materials," and "Thickness" and then include them in a block called PARTS_DATA.
If you plan to extract the attribute information for use in a parts list, you may want to keep a list of the attribute tags you have created. You will need this tag information later when you create the attribute template file.
If you make a mistake, you can use DDMODIFY or DDEDIT to edit an attribute definition before it is associated with a block. You can change the tag, prompt, and default value.
You can attach attributes to a block when you define or redefine that block. When AutoCAD LT prompts you to select the objects to include in the block definition, include in the selection set any desired attributes you want to attach to the block.
To attach several attributes to the same block, first define the attributes, and then include them in the block definition. The order in which you select the attributes determines the order in which you are prompted for attribute information when you insert the block. Usually, the order of the attribute prompts is the same as the order in which you selected the attributes when you created the block. However, if you used crossing or window selection to select the attributes, the order of the prompts is the reverse of the order in which you created attributes. The selection order also depends on object sort method settings. Make sure the object sort method in the Object Selection Settings dialog box (DDSELECT) is set for object selection if you plan to use crossing or window selection.
Attributes can also be created in a stand-alone drawing. Once attributes have been defined, and the drawing is saved, this drawing file can be inserted into another drawing. When the drawing is inserted, AutoCAD LT prompts you for the attribute values.