[python-win32] Strange/impossible Python COM interface behavior

[Richard Bell]

In my continued work on a COM automation interface for IE I've encountered a
strange/impossible Python behavior.  Here's what appears to be the offending
code:

----- code -----
        nodes = self.DomGetNListFilterValue(node, tags, properties, value,
                                            intoFrames, errorFlag, message)
        print 'DomGetANodeFilterValue', nodes
        #DomGetANodeFilterValue [<win32com.gen_py.Microsoft HTML Object
Library.DispHTMLInputElement instance at 0x34839088>]
        print 'DomGetANodeFilterValue', len(nodes)
        #DomGetANodeFilterValue 1
        print 'DomGetANodeFilterValue[%s]'%nodes[0]
        #DomGetANodeFilterValue[]
        if len(nodes) == 1:
            print 'DomGetANodeFilterValue[%s]'%(nodes[0])
            #DomGetANodeFilterValue[]
            #but under debugger,
            #nodes[0]
            #<win32com.gen_py.Microsoft HTML Object
Library.DispHTMLInputElement instance at 0x34839088>            
            return nodes[0]
----- end code -----

The call to DomGetNListFilterValue returns a list with 1 object per the
print statements (the comments contain the print statements output).  But an
attempt to reference the object returns nothing per the following print
statement.  Curiously, setting a break point and referencing nodes[0] DOES
return the correct value!?!  I've never seen this kind of behavior.  Does
anyone have any clues?  

Thanks for any help.

Regards,
Richard