# make the query
$array_ref = $dbh->selectall_arrayref("SELECT name,height,width,date FROM mydatabase");

# drop it all into a hash named %DB
foreach $i ($$array_ref) {
	if($Sort == "byname") {
		$DB{ $$i[0] } = [ $$i[1],$$i[2],$$i[3] ];
	} elsif($Sort == "bydate") {
		$DB{ $$i[3] } = [ $$i[1],$$i[2],$$i[0] ];
	}
}