public function set_attributes($type, $precision=null, $unsigned=null, $notnull=null, $sequence=null, $default=null, $previous=null) {
        $this->type = $type;
    /// Try to split the precision into length and decimals and apply
    /// each one as needed
        $precisionarr = explode(',', $precision);
        if (isset($precisionarr[0])) {
            $this->length = trim($precisionarr[0]);
        }
        if (isset($precisionarr[1])) {
            $this->decimals = trim($precisionarr[1]);
        }
        $this->precision = $type;
        $this->notnull = !empty($notnull) ? true : false;
        $this->sequence = !empty($sequence) ? true : false;
        $this->setDefault($default);

        if ($this->type == XMLDB_TYPE_BINARY || $this->type == XMLDB_TYPE_TEXT) {
            $this->length = null;
            $this->decimals = null;
        }

        $this->previous = $previous;
    }