text: from lib.shapes.Shape import Shape
  
  class Element(object):
  	"""Base class for a chart element."""
  
  	def __init__(self, id=u'', classes=()):
  		"""
  		@param id: The unique ID to be used in the SVG document
  		@type id: string
  		@param classes: Classnames to be used in the SVG document
  		@type classes: string or sequence of strings
  		"""
  
  		self.element = Shape()
  		self.id = id
  		if isinstance(classes, basestring):
  			self.classes = (classes,)
  		else:
  			self.classes = tuple(classes)
  
  	def getElement(self):
  		"""Dummy method to retrieve the element's shapes."""
  
  		pass
  