someprog [-h] [([-f FROM] [-t TO]) | --period PERIOD]

 usage: someprog [-h] [-f FROM] [-t TO] [--period PERIOD]

    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
        description="%(prog)s - Utility to tisplays information about historical xxxx usage",
        epilog="Run %(prog)s",
        prog="someprog")
    parser.add_argument('-f', '--from',
                        help='run report from date and time in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM format; if not present last 10 minutes '
                             'are assumed')
    parser.add_argument('-t', '--to',
                        help='run report up to date and time in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM format; if not present, reports '
                             'results up to now')
    parser.add_argument('--period',
                        help='time period; specify minutes with m,  h - hours, days with d, and values: today, '
                             'yesterday; 5m - last 5 minutes, 4h -- last four hours, 2d - last 2 days, as well as today')

([-f FROM] [-t TO])

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG')
group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group2 = group.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group2.add_argument('--from', action='store_true')
group2.add_argument('--to', action='store_false')
group.add_argument('--period', action='store_false')
parser.print_help()

usage: PROG [-h] [[--from | --to] --period]
optional arguments:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit
  --from
  --to
  --period

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG')
group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group2 = group.add_argument_group()
group2.add_argument('--from', action='store_true')
group2.add_argument('--to', action='store_false')
group.add_argument('--period', action='store_false')
parser.print_help()

usage: PROG [-h] [--from] [--to] [--period]
optional arguments:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit
  --period

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG')
group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group.add_argument('--period', action='store_true')
group2 = group.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
group2.add_argument('--from', action='store_true')
group2.add_argument('--to', action='store_true')
parser.print_help()