def parse(value, to_np=None):  # @NoSelf
        """
        Parses the provided date/time string(s) into CDF epoch value(s).

        For CDF_EPOCH:
                The string has to be in the form of 'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.xxx' or
                'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.xxx' (in iso_8601). The string is the output
                from encode function.

        For CDF_EPOCH16:
                The string has to be in the form of
                'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.mmm.uuu.nnn.ppp' or
                'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.mmmuuunnnppp' (in iso_8601). The string is
                the output from encode function.

        For TT2000:
                The string has to be in the form of
                'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.mmm.uuu.nnn' or
                'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.mmmuuunnn' (in iso_8601). The string is
                the output from encode function.

        Specify to_np to True, if the result should be in numpy class.
        """
        if ((isinstance(value, list) or isinstance(value, tuple)) and
                not (isinstance(value[0], str))):
            print('Invalid value... should be a string or a list of string')
            return None
        elif ((not (isinstance(value, list))) and
              (not (isinstance(value, tuple))) and
              (not (isinstance(value, str)))):
            print('Invalid value... should be a string or a list of string')
            return None
        else:
            if (isinstance(value, list) or isinstance(value, tuple)):
                num = len(value)
                epochs = []
                for x in range(0, num):
                    epochs.append(CDFepoch._parse_epoch(value[x]))
                if (to_np == None):
                    return epochs
                else:
                    return np.array(epochs)
            else:
                if (to_np == None):
                    return CDFepoch._parse_epoch(value)
                else:
                    return np.array(CDFepoch._parse_epoch(value))
Parses the provided date/time string(s) into CDF epoch value(s).

        For CDF_EPOCH:
                The string has to be in the form of 'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.xxx' or
                'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.xxx' (in iso_8601). The string is the output
                from encode function.

        For CDF_EPOCH16:
                The string has to be in the form of
                'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.mmm.uuu.nnn.ppp' or
                'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.mmmuuunnnppp' (in iso_8601). The string is
                the output from encode function.

        For TT2000:
                The string has to be in the form of
                'dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss.mmm.uuu.nnn' or
                'yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss.mmmuuunnn' (in iso_8601). The string is
                the output from encode function.

        Specify to_np to True, if the result should be in numpy class.