optparse_require.py

def checkRequiredArguments(opts, parser):
    missing_options = []
    for option in parser.option_list:
        if re.match(r'^\[REQUIRED\]', option.help) and eval('opts.' + option.dest) == None:
            missing_options.extend(option._long_opts)
    if len(missing_options) > 0:
        parser.error('Missing REQUIRED parameters: ' + str(missing_options))

parser = OptionParser()
parser.add_option("-s", "--start-date", help="[REQUIRED] Start date")
parser.add_option("-e", "--end-date", dest="endDate", help="[REQUIRED] End date")
(opts, args) = parser.parse_args(['-s', 'some-date'])
checkRequiredArguments(opts, parser)