def normalise_alias_format_string(alias_format):
    """
    StackStorm action aliases come in two forms;
        1. A string holding the format, which is also used as the help string.
        2. A dictionary containing "display" and/or "representation" keys.
           "representation": a list of numerous alias format "representation(s)"
           "display": a help string to be displayed.
    This function processes both forms and returns a standardized form.

    :param alias_format: The alias format
    :type  alias_format: ``str`` or ``dict``

    :return: The representation of the alias
    :rtype: ``tuple`` of (``str``, ``str``)
    """
    display = None
    representation = []
    match_multiple = False

    if isinstance(alias_format, six.string_types):
        display = alias_format
        representation.append(alias_format)
    elif isinstance(alias_format, dict):
        display = alias_format.get("display")
        representation = alias_format.get("representation") or []
        if isinstance(representation, six.string_types):
            representation = [representation]
        match_multiple = alias_format.get("match_multiple", match_multiple)
    else:
        raise TypeError(
            "alias_format '%s' is neither a dictionary or string type."
            % repr(alias_format)
        )
    return (display, representation, match_multiple)

    StackStorm action aliases come in two forms;
        1. A string holding the format, which is also used as the help string.
        2. A dictionary containing "display" and/or "representation" keys.
           "representation": a list of numerous alias format "representation(s)"
           "display": a help string to be displayed.
    This function processes both forms and returns a standardized form.

    :param alias_format: The alias format
    :type  alias_format: ``str`` or ``dict``

    :return: The representation of the alias
    :rtype: ``tuple`` of (``str``, ``str``)
    
st2common/st2common/util/actionalias_matching.py