if there is a better place to post this question please let me know, it is a programming question.

i am trying to access a static variable that i've created in one of the shipping module classes, specifically upsxml.

on the checkout page (tpl_checkout_stacked.php), that class is being file is being accessed at somehow, else there wouldn't be shipping options to choose from,

but yet when i try to access the variable it's coming up empty.
am declaring as such
public static $sat.

and then, in function upsxml() it is given a boolean value,

then, in tpl_checkout_stacked,

if(upsxml::$sat == true) { do whatever}

and doing this
var_dump(upsxml::$sat == true)

creates a fatal error.

can someone recommend a way to access this variable that i've created?

thanks