code: def _check_shape(var, name, shape, shape2=None):
      r
      varshape = np.shape(var)
      if shape != varshape:
          if shape2:
              if shape2 != varshape:
                  print('* ERROR   :: Parameter ' + name + ' has wrong shape!' +
                        ' : ' + str(varshape) + ' instead of ' + str(shape) +
                        'or' + str(shape2) + '.')
                  raise ValueError(name)
          else:
              print('* ERROR   :: Parameter ' + name + ' has wrong shape! : ' +
                    str(varshape) + ' instead of ' + str(shape) + '.')
              raise ValueError(name)
docs: r"""Check that <var> has shape <shape>; if false raise ValueError(name)