error 10500 expecting begin or declaration statement

Hi I have a project with quartus 2 version 9 MAX 2 device and created a vhdl file from a top level block diagram bdf file. There were a bunch of errors with the vhd file associated with the 7400 series component libraries I am using in the design. I added a bunch of backslashes to the vhd file but now have one error left, vhdl syntax error, near text DECLARE, expect "begin", or declaration statement.

The line that is highlighted as the error is

DECLARE nATTRIBUTE noopt : BOOLEAN;

I also have several warnings on lines like

ATTRIBUTE noopt of \7404_2\: COMPONENT IS true;

Anyhow just wondering if anyone knows what this attribute is for and any idea what the syntax error is?

Thanks.