code: def channel(self, channel_id=None, auto_encode_decode=True):
          
          try:
              return self.channels[channel_id]
          except KeyError:
              return self.Channel(self, channel_id,
                                  auto_encode_decode=auto_encode_decode)
docs: Fetch a Channel object identified by the numeric channel_id, or
          create that object if it doesn't already exist. See Channel for meaning
          of auto_encode_decode. If the channel already exists, the auto_* flag
          will not be updated.