problem transmitting parameters between 2 php4 files

hello! i just installed php4 and i got a problem: i have 2 php scripts, one of them references the other (through a form) and transmites two parameters the problem: in php 3 (3.0.16) this works, but in php4 (4.0.1pl2) this isn't working i test them by echo "$var1";, then by echo $var1; and it's the same thing, the echo is empty... can you tell me please what did i do wrong? thank you very much...