code: def direction(self):
          
          if self._direction is None:
              if hasattr(self, "parameters"):
                  #This is actually a function that inherited from ValueElement, it is always
                  #intent(out) for our purposes.
                  self._direction = "(out)"
              else:
                  intent = [m for m in self.modifiers if "intent" in m]
                  if len(intent) > 0:
                      self._direction = intent[0].replace("intent", "").strip()
                  else:
                      self._direction = ""
  
          return self._direction
docs: Returns the direction of the variable if it is a parameter. Possible values
          are ["": no intent, "(in)", "(out)", "(inout)"].