code: def getEncodedValues(self, inputData):
      
  
      retVals = []
  
      if self.encoders is not None:
        for name, encoders, offset in self.encoders:
          values = encoders.getEncodedValues(self._getInputValue(inputData, name))
  
          if _isSequence(values):
            retVals.extend(values)
          else:
            retVals.append(values)
      else:
        if _isSequence(inputData):
          retVals.extend(inputData)
        else:
          retVals.append(inputData)
  
      return tuple(retVals)
docs: Returns the input in the same format as is returned by
      :meth:`.topDownCompute`. For most encoder types, this is the same as the
      input data. For instance, for scalar and category types, this corresponds to
      the numeric and string values, respectively, from the inputs. For datetime
      encoders, this returns the list of scalars for each of the sub-fields
      (timeOfDay, dayOfWeek, etc.)
  
      This method is essentially the same as :meth:`.getScalars` except that it
      returns strings.
  
      :param inputData: The input data in the format it is received from the data
                        source
  
      :return: A list of values, in the same format and in the same order as they
               are returned by :meth:`.topDownCompute`.