docs: def encode(self):
          """Encode the packet for transmission.
  
          If the packet contains binary elements, this function returns a list
          of packets where the first is the original packet with placeholders for
          the binary components and the remaining ones the binary attachments.
          """
          encoded_packet = six.text_type(self.packet_type)
          if self.packet_type == BINARY_EVENT or self.packet_type == BINARY_ACK:
              data, attachments = self._deconstruct_binary(self.data)
              encoded_packet += six.text_type(len(attachments)) + '-'
          else:
              data = self.data
              attachments = None
          needs_comma = False
          if self.namespace is not None and self.namespace != '/':
              encoded_packet += self.namespace
              needs_comma = True
          if self.id is not None:
              if needs_comma:
                  encoded_packet += ','
                  needs_comma = False
              encoded_packet += six.text_type(self.id)
          if data is not None:
              if needs_comma:
                  encoded_packet += ','
              encoded_packet += self.json.dumps(data, separators=(',', ':'))
          if attachments is not None:
              encoded_packet = [encoded_packet] + attachments
          return encoded_packet