using variables correctly

i try to write a dynamical database using xsl-processing and somehow i can't
get the variables to work correctly:

<xsl:if test="$search != ''">
<xsl:for-each select="database/computer[@owner = $searchparam]">

the if works, the for works as well, but only if i use "@owner" - if i write
the following line "<xsl:for-each select="database/computer[$search =
$searchparam]">" ($search is "@owner") the output stays empty... now i
wonder: why does comparing to a variable work with "xsl:if" but not with
"xsl:for-each"? i also tried setting the whole content of the
"select"-statement as a variable but that neither worked ($search was
"database/computer[@owner = $searchparam]"). i also tried to set $search to
$search = "$searchparam" and use that as in "<xsl:for-each
select="database/computer[$search]">"but that neither worked. i am desperate
- can anybody help, please?

greetings,

philipp

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