// Program to make a pyramid of characters based on input from user

// Purpose is to examine use of <iomanip.h> and how setw is used

// Created by Budi Anton

// email : shinshiten_ryu@rocketmail.com

# include <iostream.h>

# include <iomanip.h> // library that has the setw output manipulator

int main ()

char letter; // letter is the symbol or letter made into a giant triangle

int width; // width is how far to go into the center of screen

int base; // base is how many symbols are on bottom line

int a; // a is how many lines down the triangle is

int b = 1; // b is how many symbols are displayed on each line

int counter = 0; // counter is how many times the loop executed

cout<<"This program will make a triangle of the symbol entered."<<endl;

cout<<"It must be an odd number for the triangle to form properly."<<endl;

cout<<"If an even number is entered, it will be lowered to the previous odd."<<endl;

while(cin) // This allows the program to loop until the user closes the window

cout<<"Enter a symbol or character."<<endl;

cin>>letter;
 cout<<"Enter the number of characters the base should have."<<endl;

cin>>base;

width = (base / 2) + 5 - counter; // This is how far into the center it should space until it starts
outputting the symbol

// It must first be given a value before it enters the loop

a = 1; // a is how many lines down the triangle is, and natuarally it starts on
the first line

while(width > 5) // It will loop and continue to output the symbol until it reaches 5 spaces
from the left margin...

// so that everything isn't jammed against the side

width = (base / 2) + 5 - counter; // This is how far into the center it should space until it starts
outputting the symbol

cout<<setw(width); // setw is an output manipulator in the <iomanip.h> library. this tell the
compiler how many lines

// to move until it first sends a character to the screen. It is currently set to move
the value of

// "width" spaces to the right before it outputs.

while(b > 0) // This while loop will continue to output the desired symbol to the current line
until it is equal to 1

cout<<letter; // outputs the letter or symbol entered

b--; // b is decremented so only so many letters are outputted per line

cout<<endl; // an endl is used to jump to the next line to output the next part of the
triangle
 b = (a * 2) - 1; // the number of symbols per line is found using this equation

width--; // the width is decremented so that everything is spaced properly

b = b + 2; // b is given 2 more symbols because it is on the next line, and every line has 2
more than the previous

a++; // this is how many lines into the triangle it is

counter++; // the counter is used to ensure proper spacing done by the width variable

cout<<endl<<endl; // endl is used to add some space between each time the program is
executed

b = 1; // b is returned to 1 because the program started over

counter = 0; // counter is returned to 0 because the program started over

return 0;