code: def _get_inputs(self, old_inputs):
          
          # Convert inputs to dict to facilitate overriding by channel name
          # Also, drop DataNode ID and keep only contents.
          input_dict = {}
          for input in old_inputs:
              # Strip out DataNode UUID and URL
              input['data'] = {'contents': input['data']['contents']}
              input_dict[input['channel']] = input
  
          file_inputs = self._get_file_inputs()
          try:
              jsonschema.validate(file_inputs, file_input_schema)
          except jsonschema.ValidationError:
              raise SystemExit("ERROR! User inputs file is not valid")
          for (channel, input_id) in file_inputs.iteritems():
              input_dict[channel] = {
                  'channel': channel,
                  'data': {'contents': input_id}
              }
          # Override with cli user inputs if specified
          if self.args.inputs:
              for kv_pair in self.args.inputs:
                  (channel, input_id) = kv_pair.split('=')
                  input_dict[channel] = {
                      'channel': channel,
                      'data': {
                          'contents':
                          self._parse_string_to_nested_lists(input_id)}
                  }
          return input_dict.values()
docs: Converts command line args into a list of template inputs