def _ob_maybe_repl(v: nil, dupit: nil, oc: nil, patch: {})
      if v.respond_to? :_replicate
        v._replicate(oc: oc, dupit: dupit, patch: patch)
      else
        v
      end
    end
def _ob_maybe_repl(v: nil, dupit: nil, oc: nil, patch: {})
      if v.respond_to? :_replicate
        v._replicate(oc: oc, dupit: dupit, patch: patch)
      else
        v
      end
    end
FIXME: clean up the code a bit, this could be better structured.