Parse command line options in python

CommandLineOptions.py

from optparse import OptionParser

# \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
#  Parse command line options
# \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

parser = OptionParser()
parser.add_option("-a", "--theaflag", dest="theaflag", type="string",
                  help="Helpstring, with THEAFLAG", metavar="THEAFLAG")
parser.add_option("-b", "--theaflag", dest="thebflag",
                  help="Helpstring")
parser.add_option("-c", "--thecflag", dest="thecflag",
                  help="Helpstring")

(options, args) = parser.parse_args()

# \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
#  Make sure flags are set
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# Require that the settings file param is set
if options.theaflag not in ['alt1', 'alt2', 'alt3']:
    sys.exit("No alternative specified for the a flag!")
if not options.thebflag:
    sys.exit("B flag not set!")
if not options.thecflag:
    sys.exit("C flag not set!")

# \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
#  Use values of command line options
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print("A flag value: %s, B flag value: %s, C flag value: %s" % (options.theaflag,options.thebflag,options.thecflag))