Comparing md5 hashes

[webweary]

Can anyone help me understand why I can't straight compare two md5 hashes in my code but am able to compare them if I grab one of the hashes from a get string or a db query?

It seems to have something to do with at least one of the hashes already created???

For example, if I have something like:

$magic_string = "GoGOgO";

$first_name = "Mike";
$second_name = "Mike";

$first_hash = md5("$first_name$magic_string");

$second_hash = md5("$second_name$magic_string");

if ($first_hash==$second_has) {
echo "true";
} else {
echo "false";
}

When I try to perform a simple IF statement, it always evaluates false:

HOWEVER, if I grab either of the hashes from a get string, post string or db query, then it will evaluate true when the hashes are identical.

What's the error in the way I'm looking at this?

Thanks.

[The_Chancer]

There is nothing wrong in the way you are looking at it, but some errors in your code though...

$magic_string = "GoGOgO"; 

$first_name = "Mike"; 
$second_name = "Mike"; 

$first_hash = md5($first_name.$magic_string); 

$second_hash = md5($second_name.$magic_string); 

if ($first_hash==$second_hash) { 
echo "true"; 
} else { 
echo "false"; 
} 

Try that out for size....