def METHOD_NAME(names, impcol, rescol):
    nrows = ncols = k = len(names)
    if impcol is not None and rescol is not None:
        # plot one impulse-response pair
        nrows = ncols = 1
        j = util.get_index(names, impcol)
        i = util.get_index(names, rescol)
        to_plot = [(j, i, 0, 0)]
    elif impcol is not None:
        # plot impacts of impulse in one variable
        ncols = 1
        j = util.get_index(names, impcol)
        to_plot = [(j, i, i, 0) for i in range(k)]
    elif rescol is not None:
        # plot only things having impact on particular variable
        ncols = 1
        i = util.get_index(names, rescol)
        to_plot = [(j, i, j, 0) for j in range(k)]
    else:
        # plot everything
        to_plot = [(j, i, i, j) for i in range(k) for j in range(k)]
    return nrows, ncols, to_plot