Four Templates Or Four Style Sheets?

[Saintsteven]

I'd like the appearance of my store to change four times a year (or maybe more), representing a Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter catalog. At the moment, I have a custom template with a header_bg image which suits my purpose and a tagline that says Winter Catalog 2011.

Initially, I just intended to change that header_bg image four times a year by using various images and renaming them to header_bg, and changing the tagline to read Spring, Summer, Fall.

Then it occurred to me that I might also wish to change color schemes and perhaps I really want four custom templates.

In building the next season's template in my test store, I notice if I do that I would have to address other layout settings, so maybe I REALLY want four stylesheets, not four templates.

If I want to change the image, tagline and colors 12 times a year (monthly themes), would it be less work to do that with stylesheets?

If I went that route, it would be best to upload those style sheets at the appropriate times rather than try to store them all, right?

Thanks,
ss

[schoolboy]

You can get your desired effects either way (templates or stylesheets) bearing in mind too, that some layout settings are controlled in the admin panel.

I would go the template route, because this will not involve disabling (removing) stylesheets... just a quick switch in the template changer in admin.

Bear in mind too, that a lot of add-ons put new/altered files into templates (extra sideboxes, menu systems, etc, are examples), so if you want to retain behaviour, you may need to ensure that essential files are replicated across all templates.

[Saintsteven]

....bearing in mind too, that some layout settings are controlled in the admin panel.

...

Bear in mind too, that a lot of add-ons put new/altered files into templates (extra sideboxes, menu systems, etc, are examples), so if you want to retain behaviour, you may need to ensure that essential files are replicated across all templates.

Thank you.

I wasn't bearing in mind that some layout settings are controlled in the admin panel (with the reset which I'm not really accustomed to using yet).

That pretty much decides the strategy for me.

Now, to devise a thorough way to make sure I do replicate my custom files across the templates..........