call a helper function in controller in codeigniter - php

Question

I created a helper for visit hits and it contains a function which inserts some data in to the database:
hits_counter_helper.php :
function count_hits($options = array())
{
//Determine whether the user agent browsing your site is a web browser, a mobile device, or a robot.
if ($this->agent->is_browser())
{
$agent = $this->agent->browser() . ' ' . $this->agent->version() . ' - ' . $this->agent->platform();
}
elseif ($this->agent->is_robot())
{
$agent = $this->agent->robot();
}
elseif ($this->agent->is_mobile())
{
$agent = $this->agent->mobile();
}
else
{
$agent = 'Unidentified User Agent';
}
//Detect if the user is referred from another page
if ($this->agent->is_referral())
{
$referrer = $this->agent->referrer();
}
// correcting date time difference by adding 563 to it.
$date = date('Y-m-j H:i:s', strtotime(date('Y-m-j H:i:s')) + 563);
$data = array (
'page_Address' => current_url(),
'user_IP' => $this->input->ip_address(),
'user_Agent' => $agent,
'user_Referrer' => $referrer,
'hit_Date' => $date
);
$this->db->insert('counter', $data);
}
once I auto loaded the helper and called this function in my controller as:
My_controller.php:
public function index() {
count_hits();
//index code here
}
The problem is that I am getting a blank page and other codes does not run I think. What am I doing wrong?!

Answer 1

Add the following code to the beginning of your helper function:
//get main CodeIgniter object
$CI =& get_instance();
Replace all $this with $CI in your function.
and then load the helper function wherever you want in your controller like this:
count_hits();