code: def get_reference_to_class(cls, class_or_class_name):
          
          if isinstance(class_or_class_name, type):
              return class_or_class_name
  
          elif isinstance(class_or_class_name, string_types):
              if ":" in class_or_class_name:
                  mod_name, class_name = class_or_class_name.split(":")
  
                  if not mod_name in sys.modules:
                      __import__(mod_name)
  
                  mod = sys.modules[mod_name]
                  return mod.__dict__[class_name]
  
              else:
                  return cls.load_class_from_locals(class_or_class_name)
  
          else:
              msg = "Unexpected Type '%s'" % type(class_or_class_name)
              raise InternalCashewException(msg)
docs: Detect if we get a class or a name, convert a name to a class.