code: def getcol(self, columnname, startrow=0, nrow=-1, rowincr=1):
          
          #        try:     # trial code to read using a vector of rownrs
          #            nr = len(startrow)
          #            if nrow < 0:
          #                nrow = nr
          #            if nrow == 0:
          #                return numpy.array()
          #            for inx in range(nrow):
          #                i = inx*
          #        except:
          return self._getcol(columnname, startrow, nrow, rowincr)
docs: Get the contents of a column or part of it.
  
          It is returned as a numpy array.
          If the column contains arrays, they should all have the same shape.
          An exception is thrown if they differ in shape. In that case the
          method :func:`getvarcol` should be used instead.
  
          The column can be sliced by giving a start row (default 0), number of
          rows (default all), and row stride (default 1).