def help_message(initial_desc: str, usage: tuple, long_desc: (tuple or None)
    ) ->None:
    """
    Used to simplify and standardize printing out help messages for the various
    help_XXX methods
    :param initial_desc: Short usage description
    :param usage: usage example
    :param long_desc: longer description, additional usage examples or info
    :return:
    """
    print('-' * 40)
    print(initial_desc)
    print()
    print('\n'.join(usage))
    if long_desc:
        print('*' * 80)
        print('\n'.join(long_desc))
        print('*' * 80)
