code: def _identify_datatype(self, input_data):
          
          if isinstance(input_data, (int, float)) :
              self.data_type = 'number'
          elif isinstance(input_data, (list)): #, set
              self.data_type = 'list'
          elif isinstance(input_data, dict):
              self.data_type = 'dict'
          elif type(input_data) is str:
              if self.input_data[0:4] == 'http':
                  self.data_type = 'url'
              elif os.path.exists(input_data):
                  self.data_type = 'file'
              else:
                  self.data_type = 'str'
                  
          lg.record_result('_identify_datatype', self.name + ' is ' + self.data_type)
docs: uses the input data, which may be a string, list, number
          or file to work out how to load the data (this can be 
          overridden by passing the data_type on the command line