docs: private ArrayList readSWData(HashMap expData, String key) {
          ArrayList ret;
          Object soil = expData.get(key);
          if (soil != null) {
              if (soil instanceof ArrayList) {
                  ret = (ArrayList) soil;
              } else {
                  ret = new ArrayList();
                  ret.add(soil);
              }
          } else {
              ret = new ArrayList();
          }
  
          return ret;
      }