def read_if_vcf(params):
    """
    Checks if input is VCF and reads in appropriately if it is
    """
    ref = None
    aln = params.aln
    fixed_pi = None
    if hasattr(params, 'aln') and params.aln is not None:
        if any([params.aln.lower().endswith(x) for x in ['.vcf', '.vcf.gz']]):
            if not params.vcf_reference:
                print("ERROR: a reference Fasta is required with VCF-format alignments")
                return -1
            compress_seq = read_vcf(params.aln, params.vcf_reference)
            sequences = compress_seq['sequences']
            ref = compress_seq['reference']
            aln = sequences

            if not hasattr(params, 'gtr') or params.gtr=="infer": #if not specified, set it:
                alpha = alphabets['aa'] if params.aa else alphabets['nuc']
                fixed_pi = [ref.count(base)/len(ref) for base in alpha]
                if fixed_pi[-1] == 0:
                    fixed_pi[-1] = 0.05
                    fixed_pi = [v-0.01 for v in fixed_pi]

    return aln, ref, fixed_pi
Checks if input is VCF and reads in appropriately if it is