def getcoldesc(self, columnname, actual=True):
        """Get the description of a column.

        By default it returns the actual description (thus telling the
        actual array shapes and data managers used).
        `actual=False` means that the original description as made by
        :func:`makescacoldesc` or :func:`makearrcoldesc` is returned.

        """
        return self._getcoldesc(columnname, actual, True)