docs: def _check_dependencies(string):
      """
      Checks the dependencies constructor. Looks to make sure that the
      dependencies are the first things defined
      """
      opener, closer = '(', ')'
      _check_enclosing_characters(string, opener, closer)
      if opener in string:
          if string[0] != opener:
              raise ValueError(DEPENDENCIES_NOT_FIRST)
          ret = True
      else:
          ret = False
      return ret