Using variables in templates

[DRJ]

I am having issues with this. I just upgraded from 3 to 4 and want to have a variable that I can use in an If Statement in a template.

So in a template I can do this:

<vb:if condition="$var == 1">

In a pluggin I can do this:

$var=1;
vB_Template::preRegister('header',array('var' => $var));

Now if I use

{vb:raw var}

I get the value but when I try to use that in an If statement I can't get it to work.

If I try to use $var I just get the text $var and not the value.

Please advise.

Thanks