code: def _reshape_1D_if_possible(col):
      if col.ndim != 1:
          if col.ndim == 0:
              # 0 dimensional items exist, but are weird/unexpected. len fails, shape is length 0.
              return np.empty(0, col.dtype)
  
          # ignore dimensions that have just 1 item and assume the intent was to give us 1D
          is_found = False
          for n_items in col.shape:
              if 1 < n_items:
                  if is_found:
                      msg = f"Cannot reshape to 1D. Original shape was {col.shape}"
                      _log.error(msg)
                      raise ValueError(msg)
                  is_found = True
          col = col.reshape(-1)
      return col
  
imports: from collections import Counter
  from itertools import count
  import numpy
  import numpy.ma
  import logging
label_desc: Use image node_id 8 for calling a global function with example usage: _reshape_1D_if_possible(col) and returns: col, np