access a config variable inside helper function

[eluser]Phil Sturgeon[/eluser]
Unless you are in a controller, model, library or view you cannot use $this to access the CodeIgniter super-global.

Normally you would need to do this:

Code:

$CI =& get_instance();

but you are in luck, there is a function for getting config items early on in the CodeIgniter load:

Code:

$meal = config_item('meal');

It's mostly in the manual. If its not, it's in the code! Explore the core libraries a little, it will help you understand what is going on a lot better than just waiting to find problems then asking on the forums. :-)