parameters: (self, dtype)
return_statement: return dtype
docstring: validate the passed dtype
docstring_summary: validate the passed dtype
docstring_tokens: validate the passed dtype
function: def _validate_dtype(self, dtype):
          """ validate the passed dtype """
  
          if dtype is not None:
              dtype = pandas_dtype(dtype)
  
              # a compound dtype
              if dtype.kind == 'V':
                  raise NotImplementedError("compound dtypes are not implemented"
                                            " in the {0} constructor"
                                            .format(self.__class__.__name__))
  
          return dtype
function_tokens: def _validate_dtype ( self , dtype ) : if dtype is not None : dtype = pandas_dtype ( dtype ) # a compound dtype if dtype . kind == 'V' : raise NotImplementedError ( "compound dtypes are not implemented" " in the {0} constructor" . format ( self . __class__ . __name__ ) ) return dtype