code: def conformPadding(cls, chars):
          
          pad = chars
          if pad and pad[0] not in PAD_MAP:
              pad = cls.getPaddingChars(cls.getPaddingNum(pad))
          return pad
docs: Ensure alternate input padding formats are conformed
          to formats defined in PAD_MAP
  
          If chars is already a format defined in PAD_MAP, then
          it is returned unmodified.
  
          Example::
              '#'    -> '#'
              '@@@@' -> '@@@@'
              '%04d' -> '#'
  
          Args:
              chars (str): input padding chars
  
          Returns:
              str: conformed padding chars
  
          Raises:
              ValueError: If chars contains invalid padding characters