Abstract: Information may be provided relating to each component in a computer aided design (CAD) drawing indicating certain attributes of each of the components. Standard CAD blocks are provided which include attributes attached to the blocks which directly correspond to possible components to be used in the CAD drawing. Information relating to each component added in the CAD drawing is entered into an attribute block of a database file corresponding to the type of component added in the CAD drawing. When the drawing is completed, database output files are generated and the attribute data may be provided to a user via an output device such as a printer printing a hard copy or a display device displaying the information.