1)Is there any way besides looking through the c:/perl folders that i can see what modules i already have installed. (eg a small script i can run).

It's pretty simple to write a script using File::Find that looks at every directory in @INC and finds all the '.pm' files.

2)How can i find out EVERYTHING a module is capable of doing).

Well, you can find out everything the module's author wants you to know by reading the module's documentation. If you want any more, you can read the source code.

3)How do i find out what syntax is needed in my scripts to communicate properly with a module.

See my previous answer.

4)Why do i have to write use CGI; as well as use CGI::Cookie;. Surely just calling CGI would work as the cookie stuff is in there too.

You only need to use CGI. If you use the cookie function then the CGI::Cookie module is required automatically.

You might be interested in a new book that I've just picjed up. It's called Instant Perl Modules and seems to give a good introduction to getting and installing Perl modules along with details about a number of the most useful ones.

"Perl makes the fun jobs fun
and the boring jobs bearable" - me