php - call a helper function in controller in codeigniter -

i created helper visit hits , contains function inserts data in database:

hits_counter_helper.php :

function count_hits($options = array()) {      //determine whether user agent browsing site web browser, mobile device, or robot.     if ($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     {         $agent = 'unidentified user agent';     }      //detect if user referred page     if ($this->agent->is_referral())     {         $referrer = $this->agent->referrer();     }      // correcting date time difference adding 563 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 auto loaded helper , called function in controller as:

my_controller.php:

public function index() {     count_hits();     //index code here } 

the problem getting blank page , other codes not run think. doing wrong?!

add following code beginning of helper function:

//get main codeigniter object $ci =& get_instance(); 

replace $this $ci in function.

and load helper function wherever want in controller this:

count_hits();