# They all are named the same but do things # differently. Which is strange, because Perl # makes a big deal (rightfully so, in my view) # that different things should look different. #

The methods are all named the same because they all do one thing: return results into a reference to an array. The arguements to the methods are different because they specify the nature or contents of that arrayref. Most methods behave diffently when passed different parameters.

BTW, I'm not at all blaming you for being confused and I don't deny that it gets a bit mucky in there. I'm just pointing out that there is a more general logic to how DBI methods (and especially attributes to those methods) work.