def validateMasterOption(master):
    """
    Validate master (-m, --master) command line option.

    Checks that option is a string of the 'hostname:port' form, otherwise
    raises an UsageError exception.

    @type  master: string
    @param master: master option

    @raise usage.UsageError: on invalid master option
    """
    try:
        hostname, port = master.split(":")
        port = int(port)
    except (TypeError, ValueError):
        raise usage.UsageError("master must have the form 'hostname:port'")
Validate master (-m, --master) command line option.

    Checks that option is a string of the 'hostname:port' form, otherwise
    raises an UsageError exception.

    @type  master: string
    @param master: master option

    @raise usage.UsageError: on invalid master option