adventofcode/2018/05a.py

""" Advent of Code Day 5a

"""

def comp(s1,s2):
	if (s1 != s2) and s1.lower() == s2.lower():
		return True
	return False

def main(polymer):
	opoly = polymer
	do_it = True
	while do_it:
		olen = len(polymer)
		print(olen)
		for i in range(len(polymer)-1):
			if comp(polymer[i], polymer[i+1]):
				if i == 0: # the first two are a match
					polymer = polymer[2:]
				elif i == (olen - 2): # the last two are a match
					polymer = polymer[:-2]
				else: # the match is in the middle
					polymer = polymer[:i] + polymer[i+2:]
				break
		if olen == len(polymer): # we didn't reduce polymer's length at all
			do_it = False # no more matches, stop looping

	print(len(polymer))


if __name__ == "__main__":
	inline = ""
	with open("05in.txt","r") as ofile:
		inline = ofile.read().strip()
	main(inline)