Solution for Cassidoo Newsletter (June 14) in Python

gistfile1.txt

#!/bin/python3
import sys

def arrow(direction, number):
    
    start = -1
    # start going left
    finish = number+1 
    modifier = 1 #controls direction
    counter = 0

    #switch to going right
    if direction == "right":
        finish = number
        modifier = -1 #controls direction
        counter = number - 1

    #deal with even numbers
    double_point = True if number % 2 == 0 else False

    while start < counter < finish:
        print(counter*" ", "*",)
        if direction == "right":
            if counter == 0 :
                modifier = 1 if not double_point else 0 # covers even numbers   
                double_point = not double_point
            counter = counter + (1*modifier)
        else:
            if counter == number-1:
                modifier = -1 if not double_point else 0 # covers even numbers
                double_point = not double_point
            counter = counter + (1*modifier)

args = sys.argv
try:
    arrow(str(args[1]), int(args[2]))
except:
    print("Please use the syntax: python3 cassidoo-jun-14.py <direction> <number>")
    print(" i.e. python3 cassidoo-jun-14.py left 5")