code: private Long getValue(final Object _object)
      {
          final Long ret;
          if (_object == null) {
              ret = null;
          } else if (_object instanceof Number) {
              ret = ((Number) _object).longValue();
          } else {
              ret = NumberUtils.toLong(_object.toString());
          }
          return ret;
      }
docs: Gets the value.
  
  @param _object the object
  @return the value