[RESOLVED] Comparing XML attributes with PHP

[erevos]

Hello everyone. I have loaded 2 XML files which have children elements with attributes. Both work correctly, they are tested. The problem is that i am trying to compare an attribute from the first XML with one from the other and it fails even though both files have the same values in a given attribute. More specifically I am loading <option> tags for a <select> tag from this:

<schoolcats>
		<category id="1">Cat 1</category>
		<category id="2">Cat 2</category>
		<category id="3">Cat 3</category>
		<category id="4">Cat 4</category>
		<category id="5">Cat 5</category>
	</schoolcats>

Categories and their id's load normally in my app. Problem is when I try to make one selected. I try:

<select name="schoolcat">
      <?php

      foreach ($schoolcats as $schoolcat)  { 
      ?>
      <option value="<?=$schoolcat['id']?>"
      <?php $test = $schoolcat['id'];
      if ($test == $this_schoolcat) { echo ' selected="selected"'; } ?>><?=$schoolcat?></option>
      <?php } ?>
      </select>

Every variable is tested and correct. Why won't the "if" give me a true when the loop finds the correct option though???