bubble.c

/* cum pile with -std=c99 or -std=c11 */

#define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <time.h>

static const struct timespec sleepytime = {0, 70000000};
static const int bubble[] = {2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2};

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
	if (argc < 2)
		return !!fprintf(stderr, "You must provide at least something to bubble.\n");

	size_t len = 0;
	for (int i = 1; i < argc;
		len += 1 + strlen(argv[i++]));
	char *buf = calloc(len, 1);
	for (int i = 0; ++i < argc;
		strcat(strcat(buf, argv[i]), " " + (i == argc - 1)));
	buf[len - 1] = '\0';

	size_t rail = len * 2 + sizeof bubble / sizeof (int);
	int *spaces = calloc(rail, sizeof (int));
	memcpy(spaces + len, bubble, sizeof bubble);
	
	printf("\n\033[1A");
	for (size_t s = len + sizeof bubble / sizeof (int); s; s--) {
		for (size_t t = 0; t < len; t++)
			printf("%*c", spaces[s + t], buf[t]);
		fflush(stdout);
		nanosleep(&sleepytime, NULL);
		putchar('\r');
	}	
	printf("\033[1B");

	free(buf);
	free(spaces);
	return 0;
}