INPUT PARAMETERS: 
        TableName:       source table name           (required)
        ParameterNames:  list of column names to get (required)
    OUTPUT PARAMETERS: 
        ListColumnData:   tuple of lists of values from specified column 
    ---
    DESCRIPTION:
        Returns columns with a names in ParameterNames from
        table TableName. Columns are returned as a tuple of lists.
    ---
    EXAMPLE OF USAGE:
        p1,p2,p3 = getColumns('sampletab',('p1','p2','p3'))
    ---

def getColumns(TableName,ParameterNames):
    """
    INPUT PARAMETERS: 
        TableName:       source table name           (required)
        ParameterNames:  list of column names to get (required)
    OUTPUT PARAMETERS: 
        ListColumnData:   tuple of lists of values from specified column 
    ---
    DESCRIPTION:
        Returns columns with a names in ParameterNames from
        table TableName. Columns are returned as a tuple of lists.
    ---
    EXAMPLE OF USAGE:
        p1,p2,p3 = getColumns('sampletab',('p1','p2','p3'))
    ---
    """
    Columns = []
    for par_name in ParameterNames:
        Columns.append(LOCAL_TABLE_CACHE[TableName]['data'][par_name])
    return Columns