specify number of fields in a record as default

I've been pondering if this is doable - it would seem to be doable by modding the admin form but I am wondering if it could be done via the theme, so I don't monkey with the admin core files.

I would like to be able to easily specify the default number of fields for particular fields - I'm thinking creator, contributor, subject headings would be the biggies. So, if I know I will need to add at least 3 subject headings in cataloging, I could tick off 3 and the default form would have that (and I can add to it manually should I want 7).
Or if I am cataloging a collection which has 2 contributors (or 50!) I could temporarily change the default for the form to have 2 contributor boxes.

Granted, I can apply those using the CSVImport , but not everything I do warrants using batch editing. Suggestions? Thoughts?
Thanks
Robin

On one hand, that sounds doable. It'd take a plugin that either uses the ElementForm or the ElementInput filters to put in the additional inputs. Then, it sounds like configuring the number of inputs for different elements, either hard-coded or in a config form.

On the other hand, that sounds like doable, but significant, work. I'm not sure that the time spent on that won't be greater than the collective time spent clicking the Add Input button for each new field as needed.

Yeah, I've been thinking about that although I do know that I would like the default form to always have at least 3 subject headings fields. So, if I have that need, I would guess that others might as well.

Might be worth it then, at least for others to see how you handled that case. Then others with slightly different needs (e.g. 2 or 4 inputs on different elements) could modify to taste.

thanks. I do think this will be something that will be useful in the future and perhaps, it will be an opportunity for me to try my hand at building a plugin.