printing the below pattern using just one loop - c++

Question

ive got the below code to print a pattern (attached below). However i'd like to just use one loop
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
int main(){
int n;
cin>>n;
for(int i=1;i<=n;i++){
for(int j=1;j<=i;j++){
cout<<"*";
}
for(int j=1;j<=n-i;j++){
if(j%2!=0){
cout<<"_";
}else{
cout<<".";
}
}
cout<<endl;
}
for(int i=1;i<n;i++){
for(int j=1;j<=n-i;j++){
cout<<"*";
}
for(int j=1;j<=i;j++){
if(j%2==0){
cout<<".";
}else{
cout<<"_";
}
}
cout<<endl;
}
}
when n = 5, heres the output.
*_._.
**_._
***_.
****_
*****
****_
***_.
**_._
*_._.
how do i just make this into one single loop

Answer 1

Try this and see how it does what you want to understand the step you did not find on your own:
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
int n;
cin >> n;
for (int i = 1; i <= n*2-1; i++) {
if (i <= n)
{
for (int j = 1; j <= i; j++) {
cout << "*";
}
for (int j = 1; j <= n - i; j++) {
if (j % 2 != 0) {
cout << "_";
}
else {
cout << ".";
}
}
cout << endl;
}
else
{
for (int j = 1; j <= n*2 - i; j++) {
cout << "*";
}
for (int j = 1; j <= i-n; j++) {
if (j % 2 == 0) {
cout << ".";
}
else {
cout << "_";
}
}
cout << endl;
}
}
}

Answer 2

I'd like to just use one loop.
I'll take it literally and show a starting point for a possible solution.
// Let's start by figuring out some dimensions.
int n;
std::cin >> n;
int height = 2 * n - 1;
int area = n * height;
// Now we'll print the "rectangle", one piece at a time.
for (int i = 0; i < area; ++i)
{ // ^^^^^^^^
// Extract the coordinates of the char to be printed.
int x = i % n;
int y = i / n;
// Assign a symbol, based on such coordinates.
if ( x <= y and x <= height - y - 1 )
{ // ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Those are the diagonals.
std::cout << '*'; // This prints correctly the triangle on the left...
}
else
{
std::cout << '_'; // <--- But of course, something else should done here.
}
// End of row.
if ( x == n - 1 )
std::cout << '\n';
}

Answer 3

If you look at the pattern, then you can see a sort of "triangles". And this already gives a hint for the solution. Use a triangle function.
Please read about it here.
Then you will notice that always the "aboslute"-function, in C++ std::abs, is involved.
But first of all, it is easily visible that the number rows to print is always the width of a triangle * 2.
And the number of charcters in the pattern, can be calculated by applying the triangle function. Example for width 5:
Number of stars number of dashdot
Row width-abs(row-width) abs(row-width)
1 1 4
2 2 3
3 3 2
4 4 1
5 5 0
6 4 1
7 3 2
8 2 3
9 1 4
And this can be implemented easily now.
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
#include <algorithm>
using namespace std::string_literals;
int main() {
// Get the max width of the pattern and perform a short input validation
int maxWidth{};
if ((std::cin >> maxWidth) and (maxWidth > 0)) {
// The number of rows for the pattern is dependent on the width. It is a simple relation
const int numberOfRows = 2 * maxWidth;
// Show all rows
for (int row = 1; row < numberOfRows; ++row) {
// Use triangle formular to create star pattern
std::string starPattern(maxWidth - std::abs(row - maxWidth), '*');
// Create dashDot pattern
std::string ddp(std::abs(row - maxWidth), '\0');
std::generate(ddp.begin(), ddp.end(), [i = 0]() mutable { return i++ % 2 ? '.' : '_'; });
// Show output
std::cout << (starPattern+ddp) << '\n';
}
}
else std::cout << "\n*** Error: Invalid input\n\n";
}
Of course you can also create the whole pattern wit std::generate.
Maybe it is too complex for now.
And less understandable.
See:
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <cmath>
#include <algorithm>
#include <vector>
int main() {
// Get the max width of the pattern and perform a short input validation
if (int width{}; (std::cin >> width) and (width > 0)) {
std::vector<std::string> row(2 * width - 1);
std::for_each(row.begin(), row.end(), [&, r = 1](std::string& s) mutable {
s = std::string(width - std::abs(r - width), '*');
std::string ddp(std::abs(r++ - width),'\0');
std::generate(ddp.begin(), ddp.end(), [&, i = 0]() mutable{ return i++ % 2 ? '.' : '_'; });
s += ddp; std::cout << s << '\n'; });
}
else std::cout << "\n*** Error: Invalid input\n\n";
}