CI MY Loader Error - codeigniter

Question

I am trying to use a custom function in MY Loader parent construct area called DIR_TEMPLATE But it is not picking it up.
Error: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '=' in C:\xampp\htdocs\codeigniter\codeigniter-cms\catalog\core\MY_Loader.php on line 14
I am wanting to be able to do something like this in controller.
if (file_exists(DIR_TEMPLATE . 'default' . '/template/common/header.tpl')) {
return $this->load->view('default' . '/template/common/header.tpl', $data);
} else {
return $this->load->view('default/template/common/header.tpl', $data);
}
MY_Loader.php
<?php (defined('BASEPATH')) OR exit('No direct script access allowed');
require APPPATH ."third_party/hmvc/loader.php";
class MY_Loader extends MX_Loader {
public function __construct() {
$this->_ci_view_paths = array(APPPATH . 'views/theme/' => TRUE);
$this->_ci_ob_level = ob_get_level();
$this->_ci_library_paths = array(APPPATH, BASEPATH);
$this->_ci_helper_paths = array(APPPATH, BASEPATH);
$this->_ci_model_paths = array(APPPATH);
DIR_TEMPLATE = $this->_ci_view_paths; // Error Here
$this->_ci_view_paths = DIR_TEMPLATE; // Not working
Severity: Notice
Message: Use of undefined constant DIR_TEMPLATE - assumed 'DIR_TEMPLATE'
Filename: core/MY_Loader.php
Line Number: 14
log_message('debug', "MY_Loader Class Initialized");
}
}

Answer 1

you need to define DIR_TEMPLATE
DIR_TEMPLATE = $this->_ci_view_paths; // Error Here
should be something like
define( 'DIR_TEMPLATE', $this->_ci_view_paths );
EDIT :
since its an array
you cant not define it as a PHP constant as it supports scalar and null only
you can use
define('DIR_TEMPLATE', serialize($this->_ci_view_paths));
and when ever you need it you can just unserialize()

Answer 2

I worked it out now. I had do modify the define part of My Loader but all good.
Loaded On Controller
if (file_exists(DIR_TEMPLATE .'default' . '/template/common/header.tpl')) {
return $this->load->view('default' . '/template/common/header.tpl', $data);
} else {
return $this->load->view('default/template/common/header.tpl', $data);
}
MY Loader.php
<?php (defined('BASEPATH')) OR exit('No direct script access allowed');
require APPPATH ."third_party/hmvc/loader.php";
class MY_Loader extends MX_Loader {
public function __construct() {
define('DIR_TEMPLATE', APPPATH . 'views/theme/');
$this->_ci_view_paths = array(APPPATH . 'views/theme/' => TRUE);
$this->_ci_ob_level = ob_get_level();
$this->_ci_library_paths = array(APPPATH, BASEPATH);
$this->_ci_helper_paths = array(APPPATH, BASEPATH);
log_message('debug', "MY_Loader Class Initialized");
}
}