def load_instances(self, instances):
instances = instances.encode()<EOL>if os.path.exists(instances):<EOL><INDENT>try:<EOL><INDENT>return self._load_instances_binary(instances)<EOL><DEDENT>except CLIPSError:<EOL><INDENT>return self._load_instances_text(instances)<EOL><DEDENT><DEDENT>else:<EOL><INDENT>return self._load_instances_string(instances)<EOL><DEDENT>
Load a set of instances into the CLIPS data base.

        The C equivalent of the CLIPS load-instances command.

        Instances can be loaded from a string,
        from a file or from a binary file.