Here's another fun one Nate Haug showed me. Keep your vars separated into .vars.php files and only loads what is needed depending on the hook:

<?php
/**
 * Intercept template variables
 *
 * @param $hook
 *   The name of the theme function being executed
 * @param $vars
 *   A sequential array of variables passed to the theme function.
 */
function _phptemplate_variables($hook, $vars = array()) {
  global $user;

  $vars['user'] = $user;
  $vars['path'] = base_path() . path_to_theme() .'/';
  $vars['admin'] = $user->roles[3] || $user->uid == 1 ? TRUE : FALSE;
  $vars['moderator'] = $user->roles[4] ? TRUE : FALSE;
  $vars['editor'] = $user->roles[5] ? TRUE : FALSE;
  $vars['authenticated'] = $user->uid ? TRUE : FALSE;

  // Include broad variables for each hook.
  if (file_exists($vars['directory'] .'/'. $hook .'.vars.php')) {
    include_once $vars['directory'] .'/'. $hook .'.vars.php';
    $function = 'myplay_theme_variables_'. str_replace('-', '_', $hook);
    $vars = $function($vars);
  }

  // Specific variables for node types.
  if ($hook == 'node') {
    if (file_exists($vars['directory'] .'/node-'. $vars['node']->type .'.vars.php')) {
      include_once $vars['directory'] .'/node-'. $vars['node']->type .'.vars.php';
      $function = 'myplay_theme_variables_node_'. $vars['node']->type;
      $vars = $function($vars);
    }
  }

  return $vars;
}
?>

On Dec 16, 2007 10:35 PM, Larry Garfield < larry@garfieldtech.com> wrote:
On Sunday 16 December 2007, Anton wrote:
> On 17/12/2007, Michelle Cox <mcox@charter.net> wrote:
> > Now that is a _great_ idea! I'll put that down in the readme as an option
> > if they aren't able to do the merge. Thanks!
> >
> > Michelle
>
> Along similar lines, have you seen this method:
>
> http://drupal.org/node/152426
>
> It might be slightly more generic and easy to use for newbies.

Fascinating.  I've recently started doing this in my themes:

http://drupal.org/node/201587

Many ways to skin this cat, it seems. :-)

--
Larry Garfield                  AIM: LOLG42
larry@garfieldtech.com          ICQ: 6817012

"If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of
exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea,
which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to
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of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it."  -- Thomas
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