makes pretty pictures of outputs from 1D cellular automata

automata.py

#!/usr/bin/python

import random
import sys

def generateLine(width):
  return random.getrandbits(width)

def bitlength(n):
  return len(bin(n)) - 2

def getNewLine(width, line, rule):
  newline = 0
  for i in range(width - 1, -1, -1):
    context = 0
    for j in range(1, -2, -1): 
      position = (i + j) % width
      context = context | (((line & 1 << position) >> position) << (j + 1))
    newline = newline | getNextBit(context, rule) << i
  return newline

def getNextBit(context, rule):
  return rule & (1 << context) == 1 << context

def prettyPrintLine(width, line):
  prettyline = ""
  for i in range(width - 1, -1, -1):
    if(line & 1 << i == 1 << i):
      prettyline = prettyline + "1 1 1 "
    else:
      prettyline = prettyline + "0 0 0 "
  print(prettyline)

width = sys.argv[1]
height = sys.argv[2]
rule = int(sys.argv[3])
line = "";
print("P3")
print(width +" "+height)
print("1")
for linenum in range(0, int(height)):
  if linenum == 0:
    line = generateLine(int(width))
    prettyPrintLine(int(width), line)
    continue
  else:
    line = getNewLine(int(width), line, rule)
    prettyPrintLine(int(width), line)