convert the numpy values to a list

def convert(values):
    """ convert the numpy values to a list """

    dtype = values.dtype

    if is_categorical_dtype(values):
        return values

    elif is_object_dtype(dtype):
        return values.ravel().tolist()

    if needs_i8_conversion(dtype):
        values = values.view('i8')
    v = values.ravel()

    if compressor == 'zlib':
        _check_zlib()

        # return string arrays like they are
        if dtype == np.object_:
            return v.tolist()

        # convert to a bytes array
        v = v.tostring()
        return ExtType(0, zlib.compress(v))

    elif compressor == 'blosc':
        _check_blosc()

        # return string arrays like they are
        if dtype == np.object_:
            return v.tolist()

        # convert to a bytes array
        v = v.tostring()
        return ExtType(0, blosc.compress(v, typesize=dtype.itemsize))

    # ndarray (on original dtype)
    return ExtType(0, v.tostring())