$sth=$dbh->prepare("select whatever from thetable where col=?");
$sth->execute($val);
my @list;
while(my $hashref=$sth->fetchrow_hashref) {
  push @list,$hashref;
}
$sth->finish;
return \@list;

##</code><code>##

my $hashref=$dbh->getall_hashref("select * from abc where col=?",$val);
my $arrayref=$dbh->getrow_arrayref("select * from abc where col=?",$val);
etc...