beginner question, function returning object.

[bambam]

Thank you.

So example 2 was clearly wrong, and example 1 was not clear :~).

pipe is a serial port object: when I print pipe it shows first that it is
connected to port 5, then that it is connected to port 6.  I'll discard
the clearly wrong code, and concentrate on the unclear code: probably
by the time I have clarified the problem, the solution will also be clear.

Thanks again..