How to specify quantities for individual items before add to cart?

Ver:1.3.9f
New install
no addons

I am building a site that sells craft type items. One item in particular has several color options (which will remain the same for all letters ordered). But if the customer wants to spell a name that has more than one letter, I am stuck on how to make that happen.

Ex. The name Debbie has 2 e's and 2 b's. The customer will specify the color from a radio button, but when it comes to the actual letter, I have no way to calculate the total. Preferably, I would like a box next to each letter than has a 0 for a default, but they can change it to:

D - 1
E - 2
B - 2
I - 1

and the car will calculate 6 letters x the cost per letter.

Is there a way to accomplish this?

I would try a different approach. The Text type of option name can be priced by the letter, so the customer can type the word(s) they want and have it calculated automatically, without them having to figure out how many of which letters they need. You can specify spaces to be free. If upper and lower case are available, this will automatically allow that to be chosen as well.

That worked perfectly. Thank you.

I spoke too soon. It calculates, but incorrectly. The price per letter is 17.95, but when I order 1 letter it charges me for 2. When I order several letters, it still adds an additional 17.95 to the price.

Any reason why this is happening.

I haven't actually used pricing per letter, but I recall that there are several possible ways to adjust the pricing. You may have a "tare" of sorts applying. It will take some investigation, or someone who is more familiar with their use.

One thing occurs to me: how have you set up the pricing? This probably requires "priced by attributes" with a base price of 0. If you have the product's price set to equal one letter, the total will be one letter more than the number specified.

Or can use factor & offset
Offset = minus one

I had to offer one letter as free. Once I did that, it calculated as 1 when I ordered 1.

You shouldn't have to do that, if your product pricing is set up correctly for attributes.
Still, if it works for you, it works.