hi all i have some tips for real newbies (like me) ye i'm newbie to python and symbian!
1°) howto list the functions available in a module:
import <module_name>
dir(module_name)

Examples:
a)
>>> dir(e32)
['Ao_lock', '__doc__', '__name__', '_as_level', '_mem_info', '_stdo', '_uidcrc_a
pp', 'ao_callgate', 'ao_sleep', 'ao_yield', 'drive_list', 'file_copy', 'is_ui_th
read', 'start_exe', 'start_server']

b)
>>> import messaging
>>> dir(messaging)
['__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'sms_send']

c)
>>>import location
>>> dir(location)
['__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'gsm_location']


2°)howto show the type returned by a function:
import types
import <the_module_name_of_the_function>
type(<function_name(<arguments>)>)

Examples:
import types
import location
>>> type(location.gsm_location())
<type 'tuple'>

>>> type(u" ")
<type 'unicode'>

>>> type(' ')
<type 'str'>

i hope that will help,
Ibrahima