code: def get_format(format):
      
      if isinstance(format, BaseFormat):
          return format
      if isinstance(format, basestring):
          for name, formatclass in globals().items():
              if name.lower() == format.lower():
                  if not issubclass(formatclass, BaseFormat):
                      raise ValueError('%s is not the name of a format class' % format)
                  return formatclass()
      try:
          return format()
      except:
          raise ValueError('no such format')
docs: Get a format object.
      
      If format is a format object, return unchanged. If it is a string 
      matching one of the BaseFormat subclasses in the tui.formats module
      (case insensitive), return an instance of that class. Otherwise assume 
      it'a factory function for Formats (such as a class) so call and return,
      and raise ValueError on error.