code: def getParameterArray(self, name, index, a):
      
      p = self.getParameter(name)
      if (not hasattr(p, '__len__')):
        raise Exception("Attempt to access parameter '%s' as an array but it is not an array" % name)
  
      if len(p) >  0:
        a[:] = p[:]
docs: Overrides :meth:`~nupic.bindings.regions.PyRegion.PyRegion.getParameterArray`.
  
      TODO: as a temporary hack, getParameterArray checks to see if there's a
      variable, private or not, with that name. If so, it returns the value of the
      variable.