code: def containsPval(self, paramName, value):
          
          # this may break if there are two parameters in the model with 
          # the same parameter type!!!
          params = self._autoParams.allData()
          steps = self.autoParamRanges()
          pnames = [p['parameter'] for p in params]
          if paramName in pnames:
              pidx = pnames.index(paramName)
              return value in steps[pidx]
          else:
              return False
docs: Returns true if *value* for parameter type *paramName* is in the 
          auto parameters
  
          :param paramName: the name of the auto-parameter to match, e.g. 'frequency'
          :type paramName: str
          :param value: the value of the parameter to search for
          :returns: bool