code: def exists(name=None, group=None, release=None, except_release=None, verbose=1):
      
      verbose = int(verbose)
      instances = list_instances(
          name=name,
          group=group,
          release=release,
          except_release=except_release,
          verbose=verbose,
          show=verbose)
      ret = bool(instances)
      if verbose:
          print('\ninstance %s exist' % ('DOES' if ret else 'does NOT'))
      #return ret
      return instances
docs: Determines if a virtual machine instance exists.