Attributes allow you to save alpha-numeric information into other drawing objects. They are mostly used with symbols. For example, you have a pump symbol representing a pump of certain make and model. To save the information about the make and model to the pump symbol, the symbol contains attribute definitions for this information.
There are four different types of attributes: constant, preset, prompt and common. All objects can contain attributes. All the four different types of attributes can be defined to symbols, other objects accept only common attributes.
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Constant attributes – Constant attributes can only be defined to symbols. The value of the attribute is defined when the symbol is saved, and it cannot be changed. Constant attributes are defined with the ATTYPE command.
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Prompt attribute – Prompt attributes can only be defined to symbols. The program will prompt for the attribute value every time you insert the symbol. You can enter default values as you save the symbol. The prompt text can also be defined by the user.
Prompt attributes are defined with the ATTYPE command. You can later edit the attribute values with the MODIFY command.
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Preset attribute – Basically the same as a prompt attribute, except the program will not prompt for the attribute value as you insert the symbol. You can enter default values as you save the symbol. Preset attributes can only be defined to symbols.
Preset attributes are defined with the ATTYPE command. You can later edit the attribute values with the MODIFY command.
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Common attribute – Common attributes can be attached to any existing object. Other attribute types can only be defined as you save a symbol. Also, unlike other attribute types, common attributes don’t contain information about the attribute location. Common attributes are defined with the ATTCOMMON command.
Constant, prompt and preset attributes can be defined to be visible or invisible. Common attributes are always invisible.
When a symbol is inserted, you want to attach some additional information to the symbol to better identify it. The symbol contains, for example, an attribute named ID. As you insert the symbol, the program prompts you to enter the ID information, which will then be displayed with the symbol. The attribute is not a text object, but a part of the symbol. If you move the symbol, the attribute will move with it.