prob with dir_config at server startup

[T.J. Mather]

I'm having a problem accessing PerlSetVar variables with
Apache->server->dir_config at server startup.  I'm using the lastest
versions of mod_perl 1.24_01 and apache (1.3.14).

The problem occurs when I use PerlSetVar inside a Directory, Location or
Files section:

in httpd.conf:
<Location />
PerlSetVar PKIT_ROOT /home/tjmather/Apache-PageKit/eg
</Location>

perl startup code:
my $pkit_root = Apache->server->dir_config('PKIT_ROOT');
# $pkit_root = undef

But if I remove the Location directive, then it works fine:

in httpd.conf:
PerlSetVar PKIT_ROOT /home/tjmather/Apache-PageKit/eg

perl startup code:
my $pkit_root = Apache->server->dir_config('PKIT_ROOT');
# $pkit_root = '/home/tjmather/Apache-PageKit/eg'

Any ideas?