SKILL.md
NVPanoptix3D
Standalone install? If this session was not initialized by the TAO skill bank plugin, run the
tao-setupskill first (host preflight, credentials, cross-skill discovery).
NVPanoptix3D for panoptic 3D scene reconstruction from posed RGB images. Produces 3D panoptic segmentation (semantic, instance, and panoptic masks) with occupancy completion. Built on VGGT backbone with Mask2Former-style head and 3D frustum reconstruction.
Uses 2D and 3D stage checkpoints. Set train.checkpoint2d and train.checkpoint3d for staged initialization.
Quick Start (docker run)
Docker-native launch — no TAO SDK and no Python on the host. Use the local Docker/platform skill instead when it gives a stricter environment-specific command (non-root UID mapping, cache redirects, remote daemons).
TAO_PYT_IMAGE_DEFAULT=nvcr.io/nvidia/tao/tao-toolkit:7.1.0-pyt # versions-key: images.tao_toolkit.pyt
TAO_PYT_IMAGE="${TAO_PYT_IMAGE:-$TAO_PYT_IMAGE_DEFAULT}"
RUN_ROOT="${RUN_ROOT:-$PWD}"
DOCKER_COMMON=(
--rm --gpus all --shm-size=8g
--shm-size=8g
--ulimit memlock=-1
--ulimit stack=67108864
-v "$RUN_ROOT/data:/data:ro"
-v "$RUN_ROOT/specs:/specs:ro"
-v "$RUN_ROOT/results:/results"
)
Train:
docker run "${DOCKER_COMMON[@]}" "$TAO_PYT_IMAGE" \
python -m nvidia_tao_pytorch.cv.nvpanoptix3d.entrypoint.nvpanoptix3d train -e /specs/train.yaml
Evaluate:
docker run "${DOCKER_COMMON[@]}" "$TAO_PYT_IMAGE" \
python -m nvidia_tao_pytorch.cv.nvpanoptix3d.entrypoint.nvpanoptix3d evaluate -e /specs/evaluate.yaml
Inference:
docker run "${DOCKER_COMMON[@]}" "$TAO_PYT_IMAGE" \
python -m nvidia_tao_pytorch.cv.nvpanoptix3d.entrypoint.nvpanoptix3d inference -e /specs/inference.yaml
Export:
docker run "${DOCKER_COMMON[@]}" "$TAO_PYT_IMAGE" \
python -m nvidia_tao_pytorch.cv.nvpanoptix3d.entrypoint.nvpanoptix3d export -e /specs/export.yaml
Every action takes its spec with -e; results_dir is set in the spec or overridden on the command line. Mount any pretrained-weights directory the spec references, and keep every in-container path consistent across actions.
Dataclass Schemas
Generated TAO Core schemas are packaged in schemas/<action>.schema.json, with schemas/manifest.json listing available actions. Each generated schema also emits references/spectemplate<action>.yaml from the schema top-level default field. AutoML enablement is declared at the model layer in references/skillinfo.yaml via automlenabled. Runnable AutoML for an action requires schemas/<action>.schema.json and references/spectemplate<action>.yaml to exist and parse. Use the packaged selected-action schema for automldefaultparameters, automldisabledparameters, defaults, min/max bounds, enums, option weights, math conditions, dependencies, and popular parameters. Do not expect ~/tao-core at runtime; maintainers regenerate schemas/templates before packaging the skill bank.
Train Action Policy
This model is AutoML-enabled at the model layer. Before handling any train-stage request, read references/skillinfo.yaml and resolve the run override from either an explicit automlpolicy value or the user's workflow request. Use automlpolicy: on by default and only expose on / off in new launch prompts. Treat phrases like "turn off AutoML", "disable AutoML", "no HPO", or "plain training" as automlpolicy: off for this run only. When automlpolicy: on, automlenabled: true, and both schemas/train.schema.json and references/spectemplatetrain.yaml are packaged, route the train action through tao-skill-bank:tao-run-automl by default with this model's skilldir. Preserve workflow/application overrides for datasets, specs, output directories, GPU/platform settings, parent checkpoints, and automlpolicy. Use direct model training only when automl_policy: off or the packaged train schema/template is missing; in the missing-schema case, report that AutoML is enabled but not runnable for this model until schemas are generated.
For AutoML, use trainloss as the optimization metric with direction=minimize, and set train.optim.monitorname: trainloss in specoverrides. NVPanoptix3D train jobs emit PRQ, RSQ, and RRQ in status.json, and the training progress log emits trainloss; short or minimal jobs may not emit valloss, including full-trial smoke runs. Multi-fidelity AutoML algorithms such as Hyperband, ASHA, and BOHB may promote a checkpoint to a resume job that completes without emitting a fresh trainloss line. In that case, the AutoML metric is the carried-forward metric from the source rung job that emitted trainloss; still verify the promoted job resumed from the explicit epoch/step checkpoint, produced a real checkpoint, and is usable for evaluate/inference. Non-train actions such as evaluate, inference, export, and deploy flows stay in this model skill. The per-run automl_policy override does not change model metadata.
Training Requirements
- Dataset type: nvpanoptix3d
- Formats: front3d, matterport
- Monitoring metric: train_loss
- AutoML direction: minimize
- For AutoML train jobs, use
trainloss. For multi-fidelity resume jobs that do not emit a freshtrainloss,
compare AutoML's carried metric to the source rung job that emitted it. Validation status KPIs are PRQ, RSQ, and RRQ; do not use val_loss unless a specific run is known to emit it.
Per-Action Dataset Requirements
| Action | Spec Key | Source | Files | List? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| evaluate | dataset.frustummaskpath | eval_dataset | meta/frustum_mask.npz | No |
| evaluate | dataset.label_map | eval_dataset | meta/colormap.json | No |
| evaluate | dataset.val.json_path | eval_dataset | meta/val.json | No |
| evaluate | dataset.val.base_dir | eval_dataset | No | |
| evaluate | dataset.test.json_path | inference_dataset | meta/test.json | No |
| evaluate | dataset.test.base_dir | inference_dataset | No | |
| inference | dataset.frustummaskpath | inference_dataset | meta/frustum_mask.npz | No |
| inference | dataset.label_map | inference_dataset | meta/colormap.json | No |
| inference | inference.images_dir | inference_dataset | flat folder of .jpg/.png RGB images |
No |
| train | dataset.frustummaskpath | train_datasets | meta/frustum_mask.npz | No |
| train | dataset.label_map | train_datasets | meta/colormap.json | No |
| train | dataset.train.json_path | train_datasets | meta/train.json | No |
| train | dataset.train.base_dir | train_datasets | No | |
| train | dataset.val.json_path | eval_dataset | meta/val.json | No |
| train | dataset.val.base_dir | eval_dataset | No | |
| train | dataset.test.json_path | inference_dataset | meta/test.json | No |
| train | dataset.test.base_dir | inference_dataset | No |
Typical Spec Overrides
Data source overrides are mandatory for every action — the agent MUST construct data source paths from the Per-Action Dataset Requirements table above and include them in specoverrides. For packaged S3 folders that store scene data as data/images.tar.gz, the skill metadata requests extraction into the parent data/ directory because the TAO loader expects basedir/data/<scene_id>/....
S3_TRAIN = "s3://bucket/data/train"
S3_EVAL = "s3://bucket/data/eval"
train (mandatory data sources):
{
"train.num_epochs": 10,
"train.checkpoint_interval": 10,
"train.validation_interval": 10,
"train.num_gpus": 1,
"dataset.enable_3d": True,
"dataset.contiguous_id": True,
"model.sem_seg_head.num_classes": 13,
"dataset.frustum_mask_path": f"{S3_TRAIN}/meta/frustum_mask.npz",
"dataset.label_map": f"{S3_TRAIN}/meta/colormap.json",
"dataset.train.json_path": f"{S3_TRAIN}/meta/train.json",
"dataset.train.base_dir": f"{S3_TRAIN}",
"dataset.val.json_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/val.json",
"dataset.val.base_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}",
"dataset.test.json_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/test.json",
"dataset.test.base_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}",
}
evaluate (mandatory data sources):
{
"evaluate.checkpoint": "<selected train/AutoML checkpoint>",
"dataset.enable_3d": True,
"dataset.contiguous_id": True,
"dataset.frustum_mask_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/frustum_mask.npz",
"dataset.label_map": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/colormap.json",
"dataset.val.json_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/val.json",
"dataset.val.base_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}",
"dataset.test.json_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/test.json",
"dataset.test.base_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}",
}
inference (mandatory data sources):
{
"inference.checkpoint": "<selected train/AutoML checkpoint>",
"dataset.enable_3d": True,
"dataset.frustum_mask_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/frustum_mask.npz",
"dataset.label_map": f"{S3_EVAL}/meta/colormap.json",
"inference.images_dir": "/path/to/flat_rgb_images",
}
Eval Dataset
Optional. Val/test splits configured via dataset.val and dataset.test paths.
Important Parameters
- model.semseghead.num_classes: Number of semantic classes. Default 13.
- model.mode: Prediction mode. Options: panoptic, instance, semantic. Default panoptic.
- model.backbone_type: Backbone. Default vggt (only option in schema).
- model.maskformer.numobject_queries: Object queries. Default 100.
- model.maskformer.declayers: Decoder layers. Default 10.
- model.frustum3d.truncation: 3D frustum truncation. Default 3.
- model.frustum3d.panoptic_weight: Panoptic loss weight. Default 25.
- model.frustum3d.completion_weights: Completion loss weights. Default [50, 25, 10].
- dataset.name: Dataset name. Options: front3d, matterport, synthetichospital, syntheticwarehouse.
- dataset.contiguous_id: Set
Truewhen the label-map JSON already
supplies trainId values for its category IDs; leaving the default False can synthesize placeholder categories without trainId and fail during metadata construction.
- dataset.downsample_factor: Image downsample factor. Default 1 (Front3D), 2 (Matterport).
- dataset.target_size: Target image size. Default [320, 240].
- dataset.depth_min: Min depth. Default 0.4 meters.
- dataset.depth_max: Max depth. Default 6.0 meters.
- train.lr: Learning rate. Default 2e-4. backbone_multiplier=0.1.
- train.lr_scheduler: Options: MultiStep, Warmuppoly. Milestones [88, 96].
- train.precision: Only
fp32is supported by the current train code. - train.distributedstrategy: Options: ddp, fsdp. activationcheckpoint=True by default.
- train.clipgradnorm: Gradient clipping norm. Default 0.1.
- export.onnxfile2d: ONNX path for 2D model component.
- export.max_voxels: Max voxels for engine input. Default 700000.
- inference.mode: Options: semantic, instance, panoptic.
Multi-GPU / Multi-Node
Launch method: Lightning-managed (single python process, Lightning spawns workers).
| Spec Key | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
train.num_gpus |
Number of GPUs | 1 |
train.gpu_ids |
GPU device indices | [0] |
train.num_nodes |
Number of nodes | 1 |
train.distributed_strategy |
ddp only |
ddp |
fsdpis NOT supported for NVPanoptix3D (code only handlesddp)ddpwith activation checkpointing (enabled by default):findunusedparameters=Falseddpwithout:findunusedparameters=True- FAN backbones with 3D enabled auto-enable
sync_batchnorm
Multi-node env vars (set by orchestrator): WORLDSIZE, NODERANK, MASTERADDR, MASTERPORT, NUMGPUPER_NODE.
Export / TRT Defaults
- Exports the 2D ONNX model to
export.onnxfile2d. The current export
entrypoint calls export2dmodel; export.onnxfile3d is present in the schema but not produced by this toolkit image.
- TRT data types: FP32, FP16 only
- max_voxels: 700000 (engine input tensor limit)
Hardware
Minimum 2 GPU(s), recommended 4 GPU(s). 40GB+ (A100 recommended) VRAM per GPU. 3D reconstruction is very memory intensive. Use train.precision: fp32; the current training entrypoint rejects fp16. activation_checkpoint enabled by default. FSDP for multi-node. AutoML is enabled at the model layer; preserve this GPU/VRAM guidance when routing train through AutoML.
Error Patterns
nvpanoptix3d: not found in the PyTorch image: Use the packaged module entrypoint command: python -m nvidiataopytorch.cv.nvpanoptix3d.entrypoint.nvpanoptix3d <action> -e <spec>. The 7.0 PyTorch image contains the NVPanoptix3D package but does not expose a nvpanoptix3d console script.
Missing frustum mask: Ensure meta/frustum_mask.npz is present in the dataset directory.
Downsample factor mismatch: Use downsample_factor=2 for Matterport3D, 1 for Front3D / synthetic datasets.
3D occupancy OOM: Reduce frustumdims or griddimensions if running out of GPU memory during 3D reconstruction.
fp16 precision rejected: The schema advertises fp16, but the current training entrypoint raises ValueError: Only fp32 precision is supported. Use train.precision: fp32 for train and resume/retrain.
Inference dataloader length is zero: inference.images_dir is scanned only for top-level .jpg and .png files. If the S3 test archive extracts to scene subdirectories, create or point to a flat folder of real RGB images before running inference.
3D ONNX missing after export: The current export entrypoint only calls the 2D ONNX exporter and writes export.onnxfile2d. Do not require export.onnxfile3d unless the toolkit image adds a 3D exporter.
Resume stops at the epoch boundary: A one-epoch smoke run writes an end-of-epoch checkpoint such as modelepoch000step00020.pth. Resuming with train.numepochs set only one epoch beyond the original run can restore the checkpoint and stop without producing a new epoch checkpoint. When validating actual retraining from an epoch-boundary checkpoint, set train.numepochs at least two epochs beyond the source smoke run and raise train.optim.maxsteps accordingly. For example, resuming from modelepoch000step00020.pth needs train.numepochs: 3 and enough max steps to produce a new exact epoch/step checkpoint such as modelepoch001step00040.pth before handing the model to evaluate, inference, or export.
Spec Param / Parent Model Inference
Model-specific inference mappings belong in this MD file, not in config.json. Generated runners should read this section and apply the mappings with SDK helpers before createjob(). This mirrors the old microservices inferparams.py flow.
Model-specific handoff mappings:
| Action | Spec Field | Inference Function | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| evaluate | encryption_key |
key |
encryption key |
| evaluate | evaluate.checkpoint |
parent_model |
model file inferred from the parent job results folder |
| evaluate | results_dir |
output_dir |
current job results directory |
| export | encryption_key |
key |
encryption key |
| export | export.checkpoint |
parent_model |
model file inferred from the parent job results folder |
| export | export.onnxfile2d |
createonnxfile_2d |
output 2D ONNX path |
| export | results_dir |
output_dir |
current job results directory |
| inference | encryption_key |
key |
encryption key |
| inference | inference.checkpoint |
parent_model |
model file inferred from the parent job results folder |
| inference | results_dir |
output_dir |
current job results directory |
| train | encryption_key |
key |
encryption key |
| train | results_dir |
output_dir |
current job results directory |
| train | train.checkpoint_2d |
parentmodelor_ptm |
parent model if available, otherwise PTM |
| train | train.checkpoint_3d |
ptm |
pretrained model |
| train | train.resumetrainingcheckpoint_path |
resume_model |
model file inferred from the current job results folder |
For parentmodel or parentmodelfolder, pass the upstream train/export/AutoML child job id as parentjob_id. The SDK lists the parent result folder, filters checkpoint artifacts, and returns the selected model file or folder. Do not add these mappings back to config.json and do not patch generated runner scripts to guess checkpoint paths.