LeetCode ZigZag Conversion

ZigZag Conversion

The string "PAYPALISHIRING" is written in a zigzag pattern on a given number of rows like this: (you may want to display this pattern in a fixed font for better legibility)

P   A   H   N
A P L S I I G
Y   I   R

And then read line by line:  "PAHNAPLSIIGYIR"

Write the code that will take a string and make this conversion given a number of rows:

string convert(string text, int nRows);

convert("PAYPALISHIRING", 3)  should return  "PAHNAPLSIIGYIR" .

class Solution {
public:
    string convert(string s, int nRows) {
        string ss(s);
        if(nRows == 1) return ss;
        int i = 0, is, ib;
        is = 0;
        while(is < s.length()) {
            ss[i++] = s[is];
            is = is + 2 * nRows - 2;
        }
        for(int k = 1; k < nRows - 1; k++) {
            is = k;
            ib = k;
            ss[i++] = s[is];
            is = is + 2 * nRows - 2;
            ib = is - 2 * k;
            while(is < s.length()) {
                ss[i++] = s[ib];
                ss[i++] = s[is];
                is = is + 2 * nRows - 2;
                ib = is - 2 * k;
            }
            if(ib < s.length()) ss[i++]=s[ib];
        }
        is = nRows - 1;
        while(is < s.length()) {
            ss[i++] = s[is];
            is = is + 2 * nRows - 2;
        }
        return ss;
    }
};