Returning an array from configuration file to class script as a property

Question

I have a configuration file and I am trying to access it from a configuration class. The config file has the mysql data as an array:

<?php
  $config = array(
   'mysql' => array(
    'host' => 'localhost',
    'user' => 'test',
    'pass' => 'pass',
    'db' => 'test'
    )
  );
  return $config;

I want to be able to access this array using something like Config::get('mysql/host). Here is the class script:

class Config {
  public $config = null;

  public static function get($path = null) {
    $this->config = require_once("configuration.php");

    print_r($this->config);
    if($path) {

      $path = explode('/', $path);

      foreach($path as $bit) {
       if(isset($config[$bit])) {
        $config = $config[$bit];
       } //End isset
      } //End foreach

      return $_config;

     } //End if path
   } //End method
  } //End class

I'm not sure how to set the config property using the return from an require file. I am getting an error that I am "using $this not in an object context".
How is one to correctly set a class variable from an include/require?

Bonus question: Would it be recommended to set the $config array from a separate method or in the class constructor?

Answer 1

The problem is you're referring to $this (an instance reference) in a static context. Either get rid of the "static" keyword, or declare $config static as well, and then refer to it as static::$config instead of $this->config.