def importHelper(self, struct):
        m = StrStrHashMap()
        keysAndValues = struct.get(self.__field)
        for i in range(0, len(keysAndValues), 2):
            m[keysAndValues[i]] = keysAndValues[i+1]
        return m
def is_active(self):
        """
        Returns True when the start date is today or in the past and the
        task has not yet been completed.
        """
        start = self.start_date()
        return not self.is_completed() and (not start or start <= date.today())