gistfile1.txt

Print concentric rectangular pattern in a 2d matrix. 
Let us show you some examples to clarify what we mean.

Example 1:

Input: A = 4.
Output:

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 
4 3 3 3 3 3 4 
4 3 2 2 2 3 4 
4 3 2 1 2 3 4 
4 3 2 2 2 3 4 
4 3 3 3 3 3 4 
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 
Example 2:

Input: A = 3.
Output:

3 3 3 3 3 
3 2 2 2 3 
3 2 1 2 3 
3 2 2 2 3 
3 3 3 3 3 
The outermost rectangle is formed by A, then the next outermost is formed by A-1 and so on.

You will be given A as an argument to the function you need to implement, and you need to return a 2D array.

public class Solution {
	public ArrayList<ArrayList<Integer>> prettyPrint(int a) {
	    ArrayList<ArrayList<Integer>> sol = new ArrayList<ArrayList<Integer>>();
	    Integer size = 2 * a - 1;
	    for (int i = 0; i < size; i += 1) {
	        sol.add(new ArrayList<Integer>());
	        for (int j = 0; j < size; j += 1) {
	           sol.get(i).add(a);
	        }
	    }   
	    //top half and middle
	    for (int i = 1; i < (size - 1) / 2 + 1; i += 1) {
	        int stepDowns = i;
	        int deficit = 0;
	        Boolean goUp = false;
	        //left side and middle
	        for (int j = 1; j <= (size - 1) /2;  j += 1) {
	            if (stepDowns > 0) {
	                deficit += 1;
	                stepDowns -= 1;
	                sol.get(i).set(j, a - deficit);
	            } else {
	                sol.get(i).set(j, a - deficit);
	            }
	        }
	        stepDowns = i;
	        deficit = 0;
	         
	        //right side 
	        for (int j = size - 2; j > (size - 1) /2;  j -= 1) {
	            if (stepDowns > 0) {
	                deficit += 1;
	                stepDowns -= 1;
	                sol.get(i).set(j, a - deficit);
	            } else {
	                sol.get(i).set(j, a - deficit);
	            }
	        }
	    }
	    int i = 0;
	    //well I'll be darned...the bottom two rows are the first two!
	    for (int j = size - 1; j > (size - 1) /2; j -= 1) {
	        sol.set(j, sol.get(i));
	        i += 1;
	    }
	    
	    return sol;
	    //all 3's    
	}
}