Do you have this variable defined in your report (Report/Variables)?
No

Also how do you invoke this report?
from within its own exe, its own procedure, with a report form command

Is it on a form with a grid?
No grid involved. The user selects from a list box which calls a completely new
exe that runs a procedure to gather the data and then run the report.

I had the similar problem, which is still unresolved. If I invoke report form from a form with a grid, which has focus, even if I put select myCursor just before report form command, it could not find variables. I guess, it reselects Grid.Alias

I wonder if the list box control behaves the same way.