diff --git a/src/h5_file_format.cpp b/src/h5_file_format.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edb992a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/h5_file_format.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#include <string>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include "h5_file_format.hpp"
+
+using namespace std;
+
+void h5_utils::write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, string name, string value){
+    H5::StrType str_type(0, H5T_VARIABLE);
+    H5::DataSpace att_space(H5S_SCALAR);
+
+    H5::Attribute h5_attribute = target.createAttribute(name, str_type, att_space);
+    h5_attribute.write(str_type, value);
+}
+
+void h5_utils::write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, string name, int32_t value){
+    H5::IntType int_type(H5::PredType::NATIVE_INT32);
+    H5::DataSpace att_space(H5S_SCALAR);
+
+    H5::Attribute h5_attribute = target.createAttribute(name, int_type, att_space);
+    h5_attribute.write(int_type, &value);
+}
+
+void h5_utils::set_attributes(H5::H5Object& target, std::list<h5_attribute>& attributes) {
+    for (auto& attribute : attributes) {
+
+        string name = attribute.name;
+        
+        if (attribute.data_type == NX_CHAR) {
+            auto attribute_ptr = reinterpret_cast<h5_attribute_val<NX_CHAR>*>(&attribute);
+            h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, attribute_ptr->value);
+
+        } else if (attribute.data_type == NX_INT) {
+            auto attribute_ptr = reinterpret_cast<h5_attribute_val<NX_INT>*>(&attribute);
+            h5_utils::write_attribute(target, name, attribute_ptr->value);
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/h5_file_format.hpp b/src/h5_file_format.hpp
index 2f4c183..2b728c0 100644
--- a/src/h5_file_format.hpp
+++ b/src/h5_file_format.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <list>
 
+#include <H5Cpp.h>
+
 enum DATA_TYPE {
     NX_FLOAT,
     NX_CHAR,
@@ -13,11 +15,21 @@ enum DATA_TYPE {
     NXnote
 };
 
+enum DATA_LOCATION {
+    IMMEDIATE,
+    REFERENCE
+};
+
+
 struct h5_base {
-    h5_base(std::string name) : name(name), value_alias(name){};
-    h5_base(std::string name, std::string value_alias) : name(name), value_alias(value_alias){};
+    h5_base(std::string name) : name(name){};
     std::string name;
-    std::string value_alias;
+};
+
+struct h5_data_base{
+    h5_data_base(DATA_TYPE data_type, DATA_LOCATION data_location) : data_type(data_type), data_location(data_location) {};
+    DATA_TYPE data_type;
+    DATA_LOCATION data_location;
 };
 
 struct h5_parent{
@@ -29,20 +41,32 @@ struct h5_group : public h5_base, public h5_parent {
     h5_group(std::string name, std::list<h5_base> items) : h5_base(name), h5_parent(items) {};
 };
 
-struct h5_dataset : public h5_base, public h5_parent{
-    h5_dataset(std::string name, DATA_TYPE type, std::list<h5_base> items={}) : h5_base(name), h5_parent(items), type(type) {};
-    h5_dataset(std::string name, std::string value_alias, DATA_TYPE type, std::list<h5_base> items={}) : h5_base(name, value_alias), h5_parent(items), type(type) {};
-    DATA_TYPE type;
+struct h5_dataset : public h5_base, public h5_parent, public h5_data_base{
+    h5_dataset(std::string name, std::string value_alias, DATA_TYPE data_type, std::list<h5_base> items={})
+        : h5_base(name), h5_parent(items), h5_data_base(data_type, REFERENCE) {};
 };
 
-struct h5_attribute : public h5_base {
-    h5_attribute(std::string name): h5_base(name){};
-    h5_attribute(std::string name, std::string value_alias): h5_base(name, value_alias){};
+struct h5_attribute : public h5_base, public h5_data_base {
+    h5_attribute(std::string name, DATA_TYPE data_type): h5_base(name), h5_data_base(data_type, IMMEDIATE){};
+    h5_attribute(std::string name, std::string value_alias, DATA_TYPE data_types): h5_base(name), h5_data_base(data_types, REFERENCE){};
 };
 
-struct h5_attribute_val : public h5_attribute {
-    h5_attribute_val(std::string name, std::string value): h5_attribute(name){};
+template<DATA_TYPE T> struct h5_attribute_val: public h5_base, public h5_data_base {};
+
+template<> struct h5_attribute_val<NX_CHAR>: public h5_attribute {
+    h5_attribute_val(std::string name, std::string value) : h5_attribute(name, NX_CHAR), value(value) {};
     std::string value;
 };
 
+template<> struct h5_attribute_val<NX_INT>: public h5_attribute {
+    h5_attribute_val(std::string name, int value) : h5_attribute(name, NX_CHAR), value(value) {};
+    int value;
+};
+
+namespace h5_utils{
+    void set_attributes(H5::H5Object& target, std::list<h5_attribute>& attributes);
+    void write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, std::string name, std::string value);
+    void write_attribute(H5::H5Object& target, std::string name, int value);
+}
+
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file