Write a program that reads a number and a symbol from a file (diamondData.txt) and prints a diamond constructed from the given symbol, with that many symbols at the center. It should repeat this until the number 0 is read. If an even number is read it should read the symbol next to it, but print a message.
For example if the line of data is

6 *

it should print

Can't process. Invalid data: 6 *

and go on to the next line of data. Sample input file:

5 M
11 *
6 H
7 #
0

Sample output:

M
MMM
MMMMM
MMM
M

*
***
*****
*******
*********
***********
*********
*******
*****
***
*

Can't process. Invalid data: 6 H

#
###
#####
#######
#####
###
#

Hint: for each row

* count and print some spaces, then
* count and print some characters.



Here is my code, I have no clue what I'm doing

#include<stdio.h>
#define sentinel 0

int main(void)
{
/*Declaring variables for file streams*/


FILE* Data_in;
int number; /*number that represent the number of symbols you will use*/
char symbol;/*the type of symbol next to the the number*/
int i;/*counting the items*/
int center_symbols;/*number of symbols in the middle*/



/*open the files*/

Data_in =fopen("diamondData.txt","r"); /*input file*/

/*read first piece of data*/
fscanf(Data_in, "%d %c", &number, &symbol);

/*initialize variables*/
i = symbol;
center_sumbols = 0;
restriction = number%2;
number = 1;

while(center_symbols <= number)
{
printf(" %c ",i);
printf(" %c%c%c ",i,i,i);


}

first off to check and see if the diamond can be contructed. You seem to be on top of that as restriction = number % 2 will tell you if the entered number is even or odd (restriction = 0 is number is even, 1 if odd) and since 0=false and nonezero=true in C this works out well.

something like:
if (restriction) {/*print diamond*/} else {cout <<"Can't process.";}
Should work out well.

To construct the diamonds I think a nice nested loop stucture should work. I myself would use two for-loops. The outer loop would count "number" times and the inner loop would count the number of characters that need to be printed.

I will leave the details up to you.