John,
Instead of using a filter after you have the cursor, why not include the filter as part of the SQL-Select code

MyFilter = "XXID = '123'"

SELECT * from Mytable ;
   where &MyFilter ;
   into cursor MyCursor

You get "Myfilter" as a string (note that the string is enclosed in double quotes but the value of XXID is enclosed in single quotes) and then add it 'on the fly' as a macro. I use this format regularly in reports where the user sets date ranges etc.

HTH
Barbara

>i have a pre-defined filter string that i need to use in a report form. how do i 'plug' the variable that holds the filter string into the cursor.filter property in the report designer Data Environment?? i have tried &cSearch and (cSearch) etc, but they all bring up errors.
>tia - john