while ( my $ref = $sth->fetchrow_hashref() ) {
  print $q->popup_menu(
     -name => "some_random_name",
     -values => [keys %$ref],
     -labels => $ref,
     -default => 'default_key_from_ref',
     );
  print $q->br;
}
[download]

-enlil

thank you to everyone, I got it to work. Here is how I did it...

%cat_options = Admin_Get_Cat_options_hash();

# Here is Admin_Get_Cat_options_hash code:
sub Admin_Get_Cat_options_hash {
my %options_list;
    $sth = $dbh->prepare (qq{ SELECT id,c_name FROM categories });
    $sth->execute();
    while (my ($id,$c_name) = $sth->fetchrow_array()) {
        $options_list{$id} = $c_name;
    }
    $sth->finish();

return(%options_list);
}
[download]

That worked.
Thanks for the idea to have it in a sub, dws

thx,
Richard