gistfile1.rb

require 'pp'

def mark_them(l, poss)
  i=0  
  poss.each do |p|
    l.insert(i + p[0], '*')
    i = i + 1
    l.insert(i + p[1] + 1, '*') 
    i = i + 1
  end
  [poss.size.to_s, l]
end

def pos_rep(ta) # ta = the array
  d_chr_pos = []
  ta.each_index do |i|
    d_chr_pos << [i, i+1] if ta[i+1] and ta[i] == ta[i+1]
  end
  d_chr_pos
end

final = ""

DATA.each do |line|
  puts line
  a_line = line.split('')
  pr = pos_rep(a_line)
  n_line = mark_them(a_line, pr)
  final << "{" + n_line[0] + "} " + n_line[1].join
end

puts "--"
puts final

__END__
test. AA. I greatXXrr love it.
audi tt uu yes.
stop here, axmmen.