I've attached a simple fp7 file - it works the same in version 11-13:

 

If we Enter Find Mode and set the value with "$var" in quotes, it fails because it places $var in the field to search instead of the $var value.  That is what I would expect.

 

But if we use Perform Find [ Restore ] and place "$var" in quotes, it works ... finding the value in $var.  It does NOT place $var as the search value.  I would have thought that wrapping with quotes would have broken the Perform Find [ restore ], acting as the first example and inserting $var into the field to search.

 

I assume it is because Restore expects literal values ... but I am unclear on the real reasoning behind this behaviour.  It is unexpected to me!!  Or does FM see the $ and ignore the quotes?

I suppose it is because Restore always assumes anything entered is quoted but it strikes me as off.

TestVar.fp7.zip

There are no calculations performed within a find request. Recognizing a known(!) variable is kind of an exception to this rule. Still, quotes within a find request have a special meaning, so doing:

Set Variable [ $searchCriteria; Value:"some text" ]
Perform Find [ Specified Find Requests: Find Records; Criteria: MyTable::MyField: “"$searchCriteria"” ][ Restore ]

is the equivalent of:

Enter Find  Mode [ ]
Set Field [ MyTable::MyField ; """ &  "some text" & """ ]
Perform Find [ ]

You can test this by running the following script:

Set Variable [ $searchCriteria; Value:"some text" ]
Enter Find Mode [ Specified Find Requests: Find Records; Criteria: MyTable::MyField: “"$searchCriteria"” ][ Restore ]

and observing the resulting criteria before performing the actual find.