This is the feedback I get at the command line, running my test, which includes in relevant part:

package AClient::Mail::Log::Parse::ListMaintainence;

sub tabulate_template_fields_by_email {
  my $self = shift;
  my $email = shift;
  isa_ok($self->{'cfg'},'Config::Simple::Extended');
  can_ok($self->{'cfg'},'param');
  can_ok($self->{'cfg'},'params');
  my $uid = AClient::CMS::Drupal::SimpleNews::get_uid_from_email($self
+,$email);

  # at which point it is bombing out.

}

package AClient::CMS::Drupal::SimpleNews;

sub get_uid_from_email {
  my $self = shift;
  my $email = shift;
  my $sql_get_uid = $self->{'cfg'}->param("sql.get_uid_from_email");
  my $sth_get_uid = $self->{'dbh'}->prepare($sql_get_uid);
  $sth_get_uid->execute($email);
  my ($uid) = $sth_get_uid->fetchrow_array();
  return $uid;
}
[download]

first from Test::More's isa_ok, and then from afailure:

ok 1 - The object isa Config::Simple::Extended
ok 2 - Config::Simple::Extended->can('param')
not ok 3 - Config::Simple::Extended->can('params')

Can't locate auto/Config/Simple/Extended/params.al in @INC (@INC conta
+ins: /home/hesco/system_admin/perl/lib lib /usr/lib64/perl5/site_perl
+/5.8.8/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8 /usr/
+lib/perl5/site_perl /usr/lib64/perl5/vendor_perl/5.8.8/x86_64-linux-t
+hread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.8.8 /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_pe
+rl /usr/lib64/perl5/5.8.8/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/5.
+8.8 .) at /home/hesco/system_admin/perl/lib/ClientsCompany/Mail/Log/P
+arse/ListMaintainence.pm line 186
[download]

In fact, at:

/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8
[download]

I find:

/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8/Config/Simple/Extended.pm
[download]

My questions are these:

• Why is it seeking this: auto/Config/Simple/Extended/params.al, instead of this: Config/Simple/Extended.pm, which uses base 'Config::Simple' and accesses its ->param() (not ->params()) method?
• What does the .al signfiy? I have no files named that do I?
• What is the significance of the auto/ directory where it seems to be looking?