codjo3.py

"""
https://github.com/reeddunkle/Codjo/tree/master/Problem3_Rangoli
"""

from string import ascii_lowercase
from itertools import chain


def reflect(iterable):
    return chain(reversed(iterable), iterable[1:])


def make_rangoli(alphabet=ascii_lowercase, delimiter='-', padding='-'):
    """Prints a Rangoli with the first length letters of alphabet."""
    length = len(alphabet)
    for i in reflect(range(length, 0, -1)):
        letters = ''.join(reflect(delimiter.join(alphabet[:i])))

        print('{:{}^{}}'.format(letters, padding, 4*length - 3))


if __name__ == '__main__':
    message = 'r even lived'
    make_rangoli(message, '*', '-')