Print star using star pattern Java

Question

I want to print the below pattern

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

I am able to print the two outer pyramids in the pattern using the below code:

    public static void main(String[] args) {
    int n = 8;
    int i, j;

    for (i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
        for (j = i; j < n; j++) {
            System.out.print(" ");
        }
        for (j = 1; j <= (2 * i - 1); j++) {
            if (i == n || j == 1 || j == (2 * i - 1)) {
                System.out.print("*");
            } else {
                System.out.print(" ");
            }
        }

        System.out.print("\n");

    }
    for (i = n; i >= 1; i--) {
        for (j = i; j < n; j++) {
            System.out.print(" ");
        }
        for (j = 1; j <= (2 * i - 1); j++) {
            if (i == n || j == 1 || j == (2 * i - 1)) {
                System.out.print("*");
            } else {
                System.out.print(" ");
            }
        }
        System.out.print("\n");
    }
}

This prints the pattern as

       *               
      * *              
     *   *             
    *     *             
   *       *           
  *         *              
 *           *
***************
***************
 *           *
  *         *
   *       *
    *     *
     *   *
      * *
       *``

But how to combine these two to form a star shape?

Answer 1

Since you didn't specify what your restrictions were...

public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println("       *       ");
    System.out.println("***************");
    System.out.println(" *   *   *   * ");
    System.out.println("  * *     * *  ");
    System.out.println("   *       *   ");
    System.out.println("  * *     * *  ");
    System.out.println(" *   *   *   * ");
    System.out.println("***************");
    System.out.println("       *       ");
}

Now obviously that is not what you intend to do, but next time it would be of help if you are more specific about your requirements, i.e.: "I have to do it using only for loops", "I'm not allowed to print more than a character at a time", "the code must be able to print any star of a given width", etc.
Because if none of those restrictions are in place, then the best way is just to print the ASCII lines like above.

Answer 2

You could temporarily store the printing in a 2D char array and modify it twice, then use a for loop to print the array.

public static void main(String[] args) {
int n = 8;
char[][] temp = new char[][];
Arrays.fill(temp, ' ');
int i, j;

for (i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
    for (j = 1; j <= (2 * i - 1); j++) {
        if (i == n || j == 1 || j == (2 * i - 1)) {
            temp[i][j] = '*';
        }
    }
}
for (i = n; i >= 1; i--) {
    for (j = 1; j <= (2 * i - 1); j++) {
        if (i == n || j == 1 || j == (2 * i - 1)) {
            temp[i][j] = '*';
        }
    }
}

for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    for (j = 0; j < n; j++)
        System.out.print(temp[i][j]);
    System.out.println();
}

}