docs: def _totuple( x ):
      """Utility stuff to convert string, int, long, float, None or anything to a usable tuple."""
  
      if isinstance( x, basestring ):
          out = x,
      elif isinstance( x, ( int, long, float ) ):
          out = str( x ),
      elif x is None:
          out = None,
      else:
          out = tuple( x )
  
      return out