code: def parse(value, to_np=None):  # @NoSelf
          
          if ((isinstance(value, list) or isinstance(value, tuple)) and
                  not (isinstance(value[0], str))):
              print('Invalid value... should be a string or a list of string')
              return None
          elif ((not (isinstance(value, list))) and
                (not (isinstance(value, tuple))) and
                (not (isinstance(value, str)))):
              print('Invalid value... should be a string or a list of string')
              return None
          else:
              if (isinstance(value, list) or isinstance(value, tuple)):
                  num = len(value)
                  epochs = []
                  for x in range(0, num):
                      epochs.append(CDFepoch._parse_epoch(value[x]))
                  if (to_np == None):
                      return epochs
                  else:
                      return np.array(epochs)
              else:
                  if (to_np == None):
                      return CDFepoch._parse_epoch(value)
                  else:
                      return np.array(CDFepoch._parse_epoch(value))
docs: Parses the provided date/time string(s) into CDF epoch value(s).
  
          For CDF_EPOCH:
                  The string has to be in the form of 'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.xxx' or
                  'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.xxx' (in iso_8601). The string is the output
                  from encode function.
  
          For CDF_EPOCH16:
                  The string has to be in the form of
                  'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.mmm.uuu.nnn.ppp' or
                  'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.mmmuuunnnppp' (in iso_8601). The string is
                  the output from encode function.
  
          For TT2000:
                  The string has to be in the form of
                  'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.mmm.uuu.nnn' or
                  'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.mmmuuunnn' (in iso_8601). The string is
                  the output from encode function.
  
          Specify to_np to True, if the result should be in numpy class.