import tensorflow as tf

      is an integer, the first dimension of padded_t is set to length
      statically.
  """
  t_rank = tf.rank(t)
  t_shape = tf.shape(t)
  t_d0 = t_shape[0]
  pad_d0 = tf.expand_dims(length - t_d0, 0)
  pad_shape = tf.cond(
      tf.greater(t_rank, 1), lambda: tf.concat([pad_d0, t_shape[1:]], 0),
      lambda: tf.expand_dims(length - t_d0, 0))
  padded_t = tf.concat([t, tf.zeros(pad_shape, dtype=t.dtype)], 0)
  if not _is_tensor(length):
    padded_t = _set_dim_0(padded_t, length)
  return padded_t


