can't get link to work

Have you tried loading the url helper in your controller (before it loads the view from you index function)?
Then, in the view, put the following code:

PHP Code:

<?php echo anchor('products/details/' . $product->id, $product->name);?>

The url helper will include your base_url path.

PHP Code:

<?php
1 class Products extends CI_Controller{
2    public function index(){
3        //Get All Products
4        $data['products'] = $this->Product_model->get_products();
5        //Load View
6        $data['main_content'] = 'products';
7        $this->load->view('layouts/main', $data);
8    }
9
10        
11
12    public function details($id){
13        //Get Product Details
14        $data['product'] = $this->Product_model->get_product_details($id);
15        //Load View
16        $data['main_content'] = 'details';
17        $this->load->view('layouts/main', $data);
18    }
}

Where in the above do I put the url helper?