From: Stephen Ball <sdball@...>
Date: 2007-06-11T06:53:08+09:00
Subject: Re: [QUIZ] Mexican Blanket (#127)

I'm very much a newb, but I figure that the best way to learn Ruby
isn't sitting on the sidelines. So here's my solution (hacked, but it
works):

==== mexican_blanket.rb ====
class MexicanBlanket
 def initialize(colors, length, max_width)
   colors = colors
   @length = length
   max_width = max_width

   @current_row = 0

   # generate 'complete' line
   @complete_pattern = generate_complete_pattern(colors,max_width)
 end

 def first_row
   @complete_pattern[0...@length].to_s
 end

 def next_row
   length = @length + @current_row
   row = @complete_pattern[@current_row ... length]
   @current_row += 1
   row.to_s
 end

 def generate_complete_pattern(colors, max_width)
   first_two = mix_two_colors(colors[0..1],max_width)
   last_two = mix_two_colors(colors[1..2],max_width)
   last_two.shift;
   complete_pattern = first_two
   complete_pattern << last_two
   return complete_pattern.to_s.split(//)
 end

 def mix_two_colors(colors,max_width)
   first_color = colors[0]
   second_color = colors[1]
   first_width = max_width
   second_width = 1
   two_colors = []
   until (second_width > max_width)
     two_colors << first_color * first_width << second_color * second_width
     first_width -= 1
     second_width += 1
   end
   return two_colors
 end

 attr_reader :complete_pattern # for testing
end
==== end mexican_blanket.rb ====

==== print_mexican_flag_blanket.rb ====
#!/usr/bin/env ruby -wKU

require "../lib/mexican_blanket"

colors = ["G","W","R"]
line_length = 28
color_max_width = 5
rows = 28

mexican_flag_blanket = MexicanBlanket.new(colors,line_length,color_max_width)

rows.times { |n| puts mexican_flag_blanket.next_row }
==== end print_mexican_flag_blanket.rb ====