code: def restore_instances(self, instances):
          
          instances = instances.encode()
  
          if os.path.exists(instances):
              ret = lib.EnvRestoreInstances(self._env, instances)
              if ret == -1:
                  raise CLIPSError(self._env)
          else:
              ret = lib.EnvRestoreInstancesFromString(self._env, instances, -1)
              if ret == -1:
                  raise CLIPSError(self._env)
  
          return ret
docs: Restore a set of instances into the CLIPS data base.
  
          The Python equivalent of the CLIPS restore-instances command.
  
          Instances can be passed as a set of strings or as a file.