10 row abacus.

problem2-2-3_abacus_rows.py

##
# My solution is not the shortest, but it makes sense to me.
##
def print_abacus(value):
    abacus, rod, slices = '', '00000*****', []
    for char in str(value):
        # is there any reason not to use a list of dictionaries?
        slices.append({'left': (10 - int(char)), 'right': (10 - (10 - int(char)))})
    rows = len(slices)  # does it make sense to cache here?
    if rows < 10:
        abacus = "|00000*****   |\n" * (10 - rows)
    for edge in slices:
        r_edge = '' if edge['right'] == 0 else rod[-edge['right']:]
        abacus += "|%(left)s   %(right)s|\n" % {'left': rod[:edge['left']], 'right': r_edge}
    print abacus


###  TEST CASES
print "Abacus showing 0:"
print_abacus(0)
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
print "Abacus showing 12345678:"
print_abacus(12345678)
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000****   *|
#>>>|00000***   **|
#>>>|00000**   ***|
#>>>|00000*   ****|
#>>>|00000   *****|
#>>>|0000   0*****|
#>>>|000   00*****|
#>>>|00   000*****|
print "Abacus showing 1337:"
print_abacus(1337)
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000*****   |
#>>>|00000****   *|
#>>>|00000**   ***|
#>>>|00000**   ***|
#>>>|000   00*****|