Index: STARTERKIT/template.php
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal-contrib/contributions/themes/zen/STARTERKIT/template.php,v
retrieving revision 1.9
diff -u -p -r1.9 template.php
--- STARTERKIT/template.php	21 Apr 2008 17:01:54 -0000	1.9
+++ STARTERKIT/template.php	21 Apr 2008 22:28:46 -0000
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ if (theme_get_setting('STARTERKIT_fixed'
 function STARTERKIT_preprocess(&$vars, $hook) {
   // First run Zen's preprocess function.
   phptemplate_preprocess($vars);
+  zen_parent_preprocess($vars, 'STARTERKIT');
 
   $vars['sample_variable'] = t('Lorem ipsum.');
 }
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ function STARTERKIT_preprocess(&$vars, $
 function STARTERKIT_preprocess_page(&$vars) {
   // First run Zen's preprocess function.
   phptemplate_preprocess_page($vars);
+  zen_parent_preprocess($vars, 'STARTERKIT', 'page');
 
   $vars['sample_variable'] = t('Lorem ipsum.');
 }
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ function STARTERKIT_preprocess_page(&$va
 function STARTERKIT_preprocess_node(&$vars) {
   // First run Zen's preprocess function.
   phptemplate_preprocess_node($vars);
+  zen_parent_preprocess($vars, 'STARTERKIT', 'node');
 
   $vars['sample_variable'] = t('Lorem ipsum.');
 }
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ function STARTERKIT_preprocess_node(&$va
 function STARTERKIT_preprocess_comment(&$vars) {
   // First run Zen's preprocess function.
   phptemplate_preprocess_comment($vars);
+  zen_parent_preprocess($vars, 'STARTERKIT', 'comment');
 
   $vars['sample_variable'] = t('Lorem ipsum.');
 }
@@ -120,6 +124,7 @@ function STARTERKIT_preprocess_comment(&
 function STARTERKIT_preprocess_block(&$vars) {
   // First run Zen's preprocess function.
   phptemplate_preprocess_block($vars);
+  zen_parent_preprocess($vars, 'STARTERKIT', 'block');
 
   $vars['sample_variable'] = t('Lorem ipsum.');
 }
Index: zen/template.php
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal-contrib/contributions/themes/zen/zen/template.php,v
retrieving revision 1.13
diff -u -p -r1.13 template.php
--- zen/template.php	21 Apr 2008 17:03:03 -0000	1.13
+++ zen/template.php	21 Apr 2008 22:28:46 -0000
@@ -373,3 +373,40 @@ function path_to_zentheme() {
   }
   return $theme_path;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Call a parent theme's preprocess function.
+ * 
+ * By default, a sub-theme's preprocess function will be called in place of the
+ * parent theme's, rather than in addition to.  By calling this function as the
+ * first line of a preprocess function, you can easily make the effect additive.
+ *
+ * @param $vars
+ *   The array of template variables.
+ * @param string $theme
+ *   The name of the theme that is calling this function.
+ * @param string $hook
+ *   The hook that we are preprocessing.
+ */
+function zen_parent_preprocess(&$vars, $theme, $hook = NULL) {
+  
+  static $called = array();
+  
+  $themes = list_themes();
+  
+  if (!empty($theme[$theme]->base_theme)) {
+    // If no hook is specified, then we're climbing the generic preprocess chain.
+    if (empty($hook)) {
+      $function = $theme[$theme]->base_theme . '_preprocess';
+    }
+    else {
+      $function = $theme[$theme]->base_theme . '_preprocess_' . $hook;
+    }
+    
+    // Call the parent theme if possible.
+    if (function_exists($function) && empty($called[$function])) {
+      $function($vars);
+      $called[$function] = TRUE;
+    }
+  }
+}