human
Solve the following python programming problem given the following code:
def _patch_data_class(data_class) : 
    def _value_to_graph_object(self, index, value, _raise = True) : 
        if (not isinstance (value, dict)) : 
            if _raise : 
                notes = ['Entry should subclass dict.'] 
                path = (self._get_path () + (index,)) 
                raise exceptions.PlotlyListEntryError (self, path, notes = notes) 
else : 
                return 
item = value.get ('type', 'scatter') 
        if (item not in graph_reference.ARRAYS ['data'] ['items']) : 
            if _raise : 
                path = (self._get_path () + (0,)) 
                raise exceptions.PlotlyDataTypeError (self, path) 
return GraphObjectFactory.create (item, _raise = _raise, _parent = self, _parent_key = index, ** value) 
data_class._value_to_graph_object = <MASK> 
    def get_data(self, flatten = False) : 
        "
        Returns the JSON for the plot with non-data elements stripped.

        :param (bool) flatten: {'a': {'b': ''}} --> {'a.b': ''}
        :returns: (dict|list) Depending on (flat|unflat)

        " 
        if flatten : 
            data = [v.get_data (flatten = flatten) for v in self] 
            d = { 
                
} 
            taken_names = [] 
            for (i, trace) in enumerate (data) : 
                trace_name = trace.pop ('name', 'trace_{0}'.format (i)) 
                if (trace_name in taken_names) : 
                    j = 1 
                    new_trace_name = '{0}_{1}'.format (trace_name, j) 
                    while (new_trace_name in taken_names) : 
                        new_trace_name = '{0}_{1}'.format (trace_name, j) 
                        j += 1 
trace_name = new_trace_name 
taken_names.append (trace_name) 
                for (k, v) in trace.items () : 
                    key = '{0}.{1}'.format (trace_name, k) 
                    d [key] = v 
return d 
else : 
            return super (data_class, self).get_data (flatten = flatten) 
data_class.get_data = get_data 
    
    Given the code above, what is a proper replacement for <MASK>? Choose among: get_data, _value_to_graph_object, data_class
assistant
#Here is a proper replacement for <MASK>.
_value_to_graph_object