Code Golf Christmas Edition: How to print out a Christmas tree of height N

Question

Given a number N, how can I print out a Christmas tree of height N using the least number of code characters? N is assumed constrained to a minimum value of 3, and a maximum value of 30 (bounds and error checking are not necessary). N is given as the one and only command line argument to your program or script.

All languages appreciated, if you see a language already implemented and you can make it shorter, edit if possible - comment otherwise and hope someone cleans up the mess. Include newlines and White Spaces for clarity, but don't include them in the character count.

A Christmas tree is generated as such, with its "trunk" consisting of only a centered "*"

N = 3:

   *
  ***
 *****
   *

N = 4:

    *
   ***
  *****
 *******
    *

N = 5:

     *
    ***
   *****
  *******
 *********
     *

N defines the height of the branches not including the one line trunk.

Merry Christmas PPCG!

Answer 1

First try in LUA

f=string.rep p=print function t(N) for i=0,N do s=f(" ",N-i) p(s..f("+",2*i-1)..s) end p(f(" ",N-1).."+"..f(" ",N-1)) end t(arg[1])

After selecting all of it scite tells me these are 131 chars

For clarities sake without optimizing away the \n etc:

f=string.rep 
p=print 
function t(N) 
 for i=0,N do 
   s=f(" ",N-i)
   p(s..f("+",2*i-1)..s)
 end 
  p(f(" ",N-1).."+"..f(" ",N-1)) 
end 
t(arg[1])

For the python version by ΤΖΩΤΖΙΟΥ I get shown 115 chars... Hrm, some more things to optimize

Answer 2

Scala, 97 chars

This one gets n from command line.

Thanks to ΤΖΩΤΖΙΟΥ for the * operator

val n=args(0).toInt*2
(1.until(n,2))foreach{i=>println(" "*(n-i)+"* "*i)}
println (" "*(n-1) + "*")

Answer 3

Language: Erlang, Char count: 151

A little bit shorter Erlang version:

-module(x).
-export([t/1]).
t(N)->[H|_]=T=t(N,1),io:format([T,H]).
t(0,_)->[];t(N,M)->[[d(N,32),d(M,42),10]|t(N-1,M+2)].
d(N,C)->lists:duplicate(N,C).

When should run with command line argument

-module(x).
-export([t/1]).
t([N])->[H|_]=T=t(list_to_integer(N),1),io:format([T,H]),init:stop().
t(0,_)->[];t(N,M)->[[d(N,32),d(M,42),10]|t(N-1,M+2)].
d(N,C)->lists:duplicate(N,C).

Invocation:

$ erl -noshell -noinput -run x t 11
           *
          ***
         *****
        *******
       *********
      ***********
     *************
    ***************
   *****************
  *******************
 *********************
           *

Answer 4

Language: FoxPro 2.x for DOS (should work with Clipper too), Char count: 62

para n
for h=1 to n
?spac(n-h)+repl('*',2*h-1)
endf
?spac(n-1)+'*'

Answer 5

Language: Euphoria 147 chars (9 relevant spaces):

include get.e
object
    a = command_line(), 
    t = 42
a = value( a[3] )
a = a[2]
for i = 1 to a do
    puts(1, repeat( 32, a - i ) & t & 10)
    t &= "**"
end for
puts(1, repeat( 32, a - 1 ) & 42 & 10 )

With only relevant whitespace:

include get.e
object a=command_line(),t=42a=value(a[3])a=a[2]for i=1to a do puts(1,repeat(32,a-i)&t&10)t&="**"end for puts(1,repeat(32,a-1)&42&10)

Answer 6

Excessively long version in J (97 chars)

t=:3 :0
d=:0
k=:''
while.d<y
do.
k=:k,((d{((y-1)+>:i.y))$!.'*'((d{((|.i.y)))$,' ')),LF
d=:d+1
end.k,y$k
)

Run it this way:

t N

where N is tree height.

And Merry Xmas (a bit late).

Answer 7

Here's a Ruby Newbie (ha! It rhymes!) with his first working solution:

Ruby 164 characters (of readable code)

n=gets.to_i-1
(0..n).each do |j|  
    (n-j).times do 
        print " "
    end 
    (1+j*2).times do
        print "*" 
    end
    print "\n"
end
n.times do 
    print " "
end
print "*"

Answer 8

GolfScript, 34 characters

Another GolfScript entry:

~:x,-1%[x(]+{." "*x@- 2*("*"*n.},;

Explanation:

~:x                   #read input, store into x
,                     #create array [0,1,2,...,x-1]
-1%                   #reverse it
[x(]+                 #append x-1 to the array
{." "*x@- 2*("*"*n.}, #map each element in array to this block, outputs each line
;                     #remove results of map from stack

The block does:

{.                    #duplicate value given by map (stack is now: i i)
" "*                  #push " ", times it by i (stack now: i "   ") 
x                     #push x, stack is: (i "   " x), and bring i
@                     #bring i to the front (stack is: "   " x i)
- 2*(                 #pop x,i, push ((x-i)*2-1)
"*"*                  #print that many *'s
n.}                   #print newline, duplicate it so the map doesn't kill it

Answer 9

JavaScript, 137 bytes

function k(a){var b="";for(i=0;i<a;i++){for(j=0;j<a*2;j++)b+=j>a-2-i
&&j<a+i?"*":" ";b+="\n"}for(i=0;i<a*2;i++)b+=i==a-1?"*":" ";return b}

Test case (formatting disorder is due to the first " marking a string):

k(3)

"  *   
 ***  
***** 
  *   "

Answer 10

R, 94 chars

Christmas is over, but anyway:

t=function(N){
  f=function(i)cat(rep(" ",N-i),rep("*",2*i-3),"\n",sep="")
  lapply(2:N,FUN=f);f(2)
}

For trees of height 2 or more:

> t(2)  > t(3)  > t(5)
*        *         *
*       ***       ***
         *       *****
                *******
                   *

Answer 11

Python 2, 119 116

This one generates the tree on one line:

import sys
h=int(sys.argv[1])
print '\n'.join([" "*(h-i)+"*"*(i*2-1) for i in range(h,0,-1)][::-1]+[" "*(h-1)+"*"])

It's too bad you have to import the sys module in Python before being able to read argv.

Being used from Command Prompt:

C:\Users\User4\Desktop>treeprint.py 6
     *
    ***
   *****
  *******
 *********
***********
     *

I have a Linux box but it can't connect to the Internet and only has Python 2.4, in case you're wondering why I'm using Windows.

Answer 12

SOGL V0.12, 11 10 bytes

ƨ*αak} *¹╚

Try it Here!

Explanation:

     }      implicitly started loop, repeated input times
ƨ*          push "**"
  α         append that to the variable A, here defaulted to an empty string
   a        load the variable A
    k       remove the first characters
       *    push "*"
        ¹   wrap in an array
         ╚  center horizontally

Answer 13

Excel VBA, 72 Bytes

Anonymous VBE immediate window function that takes input from range [A1] and outputs to the VBE immediate window

For i=1To[A1]:[B1]=i:?Spc([A1]-i)[Rept("*",2*B1-1)]:Next:?Spc([A1-1])"*"

Answer 14

Python 3, 83 bytes

f=lambda n:'\n'.join([' '*(n-1-i)+'*'*(i*2+1)for i in range(n)])+'\n'+' '*(n-1)+'*'

Answer 15

Dart, 174 characters

main(p){var x=-1,r='',a=int.parse(p[0]),b=a,f=(x,y,[z='']){var s='';while(x-->0)s+=y;return s+z;};while(a-->0){x+=2;r+=f(a,' ')+f(x,'*','\n');}print('$r${f(b-1,' ','*')}');}

Answer 16

JavaScript, 90 89 bytes

f=(l,n=1,s="")=>l+1?s+=f(l-1,n+2,l?`*`.repeat(n).padStart(l+n)+`
`:"*".padStart(n/2+1)):s

Try it online!

---

Alternative:

f=(l,n=1)=>l+1&&f(l-1,n+2,console.log(l?"*".repeat(n).padStart(l+n):"*".padStart(n/2+1)))

Try it online!

Answer 17

APL(NARS), 37 chars, 74 bytes

{⊃⍵{(' '⍴⍨⍺-⍵),'*'⍴⍨1+⍵×2}¨0,⍨0,⍳⍵-1}

test:

  h←{⊃⍵{(' '⍴⍨⍺-⍵),'*'⍴⍨1+⍵×2}¨0,⍨0,⍳⍵-1}
  h 5
     *    
    ***   
   *****  
  ******* 
 *********
     *    
  h 1
 *
 *
  h 2
  * 
 ***
  * 
  h 3
   *  
  *** 
 *****
   *  

Ot: It seems that your sys for know if i'am a human not work good in this chellphone (so I write this because possible this step is not taken)

Answer 18

Python3,81 bytes

n=int(input());
for j in range(n):
 print(' '*(n-j)+'*'*(2*j+1))
print(' '*n+'*')

try it online

Answer 19

Wren, 91 bytes

Fn.new{|n|
for(i in 0...n)System.print(" "*(n-i)+"*"*(2*i+1))
System.print(" "*n+"*")
}

Try it online!

Answer 20

x86 machine code, 42 40 bytes

Same limitation as in previous x86 answer (N < 10) applies. It may be lifted by replacing the first four lines with the following six (+6 bytes):

start:
    mov si, 82h
    lodsw
    xchg al, ah
    and ax, 0F0Fh
    aad

Assembly source code:

start:
    mov si, 82h
    lodsb
    aaa
    xchg ax, cx
    mov dx, 0A2Ah
    mov di, dx
    push cx
_loop:
    push cx
    rep stosb
    xchg ax, dx
    mov cx, bx
    rep stosb
    stosw
    inc bx
    inc bx
    pop cx
    xchg ax, dx
    loop _loop
    pop cx
    rep stosb
    xchg ax, dx
    stosw
    xchg ax, dx
    mov ax, 0924h
    stosb
    int 21h
    ret

Answer 21

SmileBASIC, 55 Bytes

Takes input from variable 'N'

FOR I=1TO N?" "*(N-I);"*"*(1+(I-1)*2)NEXT?" "*(N-1);"*"

I think it may be possible to shorten line 2 or 3 in the breakdown below

FOR I=1TO N                                                Iterate values of 'I' from 1 to N (One for each layer of branches)
           ?" "*(N-I)                                      Display spaces to offset asterisks, which begins at N-1 spaces long and end at 0 spaces long
                     ;"*"*(1+(I-1)*2)                      Display Asterisks
                                     NEXT                  End loop
                                         ?" "*(N-1);"*"    Display trunk

Answer 22

C++, 188 bytes

#include<iostream>    
using namespace std;
#define s string
int main(int a,char**c){int h=atoi(c[1]);for(int i=0;i<h;i++){cout<<s(h-i,' ')<<s(i*2+1,'*')<<endl;}cout<<s(h,' ')<<'*'<<endl;}

Ungolfed:

#include<iostream>

using namespace std;

int main(int a,char**c)
{
    int h = atoi(c[1]);
    for(int i=0; i<h; i++)
    {
        cout << string(h-i, ' ') << string(i*2+1, '*') << endl;
    }
    cout << string(h, ' ') << '*' << endl;
}

Answer 23

C# 3.0, 158 bytes

int n=int.Parse(a[0]);Console.WriteLine(Enumerable.Range(1,n).Concat(new int[]{1}).Select(x=>new string('*',x*2-1).PadLeft(x+n)).Aggregate((x,y)=>x+"\n"+y));

Ungolfed:

using System;
using System.Linq;
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] a)
    {
        int n = int.Parse(a[0]);
        Console.WriteLine(Enumerable.Range(1, n).Concat(new int[] { 1 })
            .Select(x => new string('*', x * 2 - 1).PadLeft(x + n))
            .Aggregate((x, y) => x + "\n" + y));
    }
}

Answer 24

Lua, 113 significant chars

s=string.rep;n=tonumber(arg[1]);r=print;for i=0,n do l=s(" ", n-i)..s("*",(n-(n-i))*2+1);r(l)end r(s(" ",n).."*")

Answer 25

SAS, 70 87 bytes

87 bytes. With a pop window for N input.

data;
window _ n;
display _;
do i=1to n;
s=repeat('*',i*2-2);
put@(n-i+1)s;
end;
put@n'*';
run;

70 bytes. Imperfect, need to assign to N handly.

data;
n=9;
do i=1to n;
s=repeat('*',i*2-2);
put@(n-i+1)s;
end;
put@n'*';
run;

The result is

        *
       ***
      *****
     *******
    *********
   ***********
  *************
 ***************
*****************
        *

Answer 26

Raku, 50 48 46 bytes

(45 characters, but » is 2 bytes)

{(|^$^n,0)».&{printf "%{$n+$_}s
",\*x$_*2+1}}

Try it online!

Original 50-byte version:

-> \n{(|^n,0)».&{printf "%{n+$_}s
",'*'x 2*$_+1}}

48-byte version:

-> \n{(|^n,0)».&{printf "%{n+$_}s
",\*x$_*2+1}}