def __obj2choices(self, values):
        """
        - json list of key, value pairs:
            Example: [["A", "Option 1 Label"], ["B", "Option 2 Label"]]
        - space separated string with a list of options:
            Example: "Option1 Opt2 Opt3"
            will be converted to a key, value pair of the following form:
            (("Option1", "Option1), ("Opt2", "Opt2"), ("Opt3", "Opt3"))
        - an iterable of key, value pairs
        """
        choices = values
        # choices from string
        if type(values) == type(''):
            obj = None
            # try json string
            try:
                obj = json.loads(values)
            except ValueError:
                obj = values
            if type(obj) == type([]):
                choices = obj
            else:
                choices = obj.split()
        return choices