def get_class(classname):
    """
    Returns the class object associated with the dot-notation classname.

    Taken from here: http://stackoverflow.com/a/452981

    :param classname: the classname
    :type classname: str
    :return: the class object
    :rtype: object
    """
    parts = classname.split('.')
    module = '.'.join(parts[:-1])
    m = __import__(module)
    for comp in parts[1:]:
        m = getattr(m, comp)
    return m
