Extending python's optparser to handle datetime types

extend_optparser.py

import datetime, copy
from optparse import Option, OptionValueError


def check_datatime(option, opt, value):
    try:
        return datetime.datetime.strptime(value, option.datetime_format)
    except ValueError:
        raise OptionValueError(
            "option %s: invalid complex value: %r" % (opt, value))


class ExtendedOption (Option):
    TYPES = Option.TYPES + ("datetime",)
    TYPE_CHECKER = copy(Option.TYPE_CHECKER)
    TYPE_CHECKER["datatime"] = check_datatime
    ATTRS = copy(Option.ATTRS) + ["datatime_format",]
    datetime_format = '%Y-%m-%d'
    
def make_option(*args, **kwa):
    return ExtendedOption(*args, **kwa)