AutoCad :: ATTEXT - Invalid Field Specification

create a usable template file that ATTEXT can use to extract attribute information from blocks. The goal is to construct a small building within ACAD (before the first piece of material is cut or even bought) exclusively from blocks with attribute information for each block and then to extract what will end up being a bill of materials and cost sheet. (in lieu of my normal approach of hand sketching, trial and error cutting and fitting as I go along).

I have read the manual 4 - 5 times, followed instructions exactly (or at least think I have), reviewed postings here (and then trying different way). Nothing works. I have even created a single block in single file with one attribute to simplify it. Anyway, same error comes back every time. The current, extremely simplified, PracticeExtractAttributes.txt (template file) file reads:

BL:MYBLOCK C01500
STICKNAME C01500

with MYBLOCK being the block name and STICKNAME being the tag name for one attribute from the drawing. Same error.

Note: although I use ACAD very infrequently I have been using it since (if I recall correctly) 2.56 back in the 80s and currently use 2000.

PS the ATTEXT will create a DXX file with the information in it (hence my conclusion the problem is in the template file), but that would require me to spend hours and hours writing code to parse the DXX file (once I had the format figured out) to get the info out.