---
files: [figlet.py]
url: https://cdn.cs50.net/2022/fall/labs/6/figlet/README.md
window: [terminal]
---

# Frank, Ian and Glen's Letters

[FIGlet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIGlet), named after [Frank, Ian, and Glen's letters](http://www.figlet.org/faq.html), is a program from the early 1990s for making large letters out of ordinary text, a form of [ASCII art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII_art):

```
 _ _ _          _   _     _
| (_) | _____  | |_| |__ (_)___
| | | |/ / _ \ | __| '_ \| / __|
| | |   <  __/ | |_| | | | \__ \
|_|_|_|\_\___|  \__|_| |_|_|___/
```

Among the fonts supported by FIGlet are those at <http://www.figlet.org/examples.html>.

FIGlet has since been ported to Python as a module called [pyfiglet](https://pypi.org/project/pyfiglet/0.7/).

In a file called `figlet.py`, implement a program that:

* Expects zero or two command-line arguments:
    * Zero if the user would like to output text in a random font.
    * Two if the user would like to output text in a specific font, in which case the first of the two should be `-f` or `--font`, and the second of the two should be the name of the font.
* Prompts the user for a `str` of text.
* Outputs that text in the desired font.

If the user provides two command-line arguments and the first is not `-f` or `--font` or the second is not the name of a font, the program should exit via `sys.exit` with an error message.

{% spoiler Hints %}
* You can install `pyfiglet` with:
  ```
  pip install pyfiglet
  ```
* The documentation for pyfiglet isn't very clear, but you can use the module as follows:
  ```py
  from pyfiglet import Figlet

  figlet = Figlet()
  ```
  You can then get a `list` of available fonts with code like this:
  ```py
  figlet.getFonts()
  ```
  You can set the font with code like this, wherein `f` is the font's name as a `str`:
  ```py
  figlet.setFont(font=f)
  ```
  And you can output text in that font with code like this, wherein `s` is that text as a `str`:
  ```py
  print(figlet.renderText(s))
  ```
* Note that the `random` module comes with quite a few functions, per <https://docs.python.org/3/library/random.html>.
{% endspoiler %}

## Demo

This demo's first output used a random font. Your output may vary.

<script async data-autoplay="1" data-cols="80" data-loop="1" data-rows="12" id="asciicast-LIo5QcHpUiXepVFiL4fTBwmuE" src="https://asc
iinema.org/a/LIo5QcHpUiXepVFiL4fTBwmuE.js"></script>

## How to Test

Here's how to test your code manually:

* Run your program with `python figlet.py test`. Your program should exit via `sys.exit` and print an error message:
  ```
  Invalid usage
  ```
* Run your program with `python figlet.py -a slant`. Your program should exit via `sys.exit` and print an error message:
  ```
  Invalid usage
  ```
* Run your program with `python figlet.py -f invalid_font`. Your program should exit via `sys.exit` and print an error message:
  ```
  Invalid usage
  ```
* Run your program with `python figlet.py -f slant`. Type `CS50`. Your program should print the following:
  ```
     ___________ __________ 
    / ____/ ___// ____/ __ \
   / /    \__ \/___ \/ / / /
  / /___ ___/ /___/ / /_/ / 
  \____//____/_____/\____/  
  ```
* Run your program with `python figlet.py -f rectangles`. Type `Hello, world`. Your program should print the following:
  ```
   _____     _ _                        _   _ 
  |  |  |___| | |___      _ _ _ ___ ___| |_| |
  |     | -_| | | . |_   | | | | . |  _| | . |
  |__|__|___|_|_|___| |  |_____|___|_| |_|___|
                    |_|                       
  ```
* Run your program with `python figlet.py -f alphabet`. Type `Moo`. Your program should print the following:
  ```
  M   M         
  MM MM         
  M M M ooo ooo 
  M   M o o o o 
  M   M ooo ooo                     
  ```

You can execute the below to check your code using `check50`, a program that CS50 will use to test your code when you submit. But be sure to test it yourself as well!

```
check50 cs50/problems/2022/python/figlet
```

Green smilies mean your program has passed a test! Red frownies will indicate your program output something unexpected. Visit the URL that `check50` outputs to see the input `check50` handed to your program, what output it expected, and what output your program actually gave.

## How to Submit

No need to submit! This is a practice problem.