| name | tao-train-mask-auto-label |
| description | MAL (Mask Auto-Label) for weakly-supervised segmentation. Produces segmentation masks from minimal annotations (point or box annotations) using a ViT-MAE backbone. Use when training, evaluating, or running inference for a TAO MAL model. Trigger phrases include "train MAL", "Mask Auto-Label", "weakly-supervised segmentation", "box-prompted segmentation", "minimal-annotation mask prediction". |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| compatibility | Requires docker + nvidia-container-toolkit. |
| metadata | version: "0.1.0" author: NVIDIA Corporation |
| allowed-tools | Read Bash |
| tags | - segmentation |
MAL
MAL (Mask Auto-Label) for weakly-supervised segmentation. Produces segmentation masks from minimal annotations (e.g., point or box annotations). Uses ViT-MAE backbone.
Set train.pretrained_model_path for ViT-MAE pretrained weights.
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/spec_template_<action>.yaml from the schema top-level default field. AutoML enablement is declared at the model layer in references/skill_info.yaml via automl_enabled. Runnable AutoML still requires schemas/train.schema.json and references/spec_template_train.yaml to exist and parse. Use the packaged train schema for automl_default_parameters, automl_disabled_parameters, 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/skill_info.yaml and resolve the run override from either an explicit automl_policy value or the user's workflow request. Use automl_policy: 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 automl_policy: off for this run only. When automl_policy: on, automl_enabled: true, and both schemas/train.schema.json and references/spec_template_train.yaml are packaged, route the train action through tao-skill-bank:tao-run-automl by default with this model's skill_dir. Preserve workflow/application overrides for datasets, specs, output directories, GPU/platform settings, parent checkpoints, and automl_policy. 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.
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: segmentation
- Formats: default
- Monitoring metric: mIoU
Per-Action Dataset Requirements
| Action | Spec Key | Source | Files | List? |
|---|
| evaluate | dataset.val_img_dir | eval_dataset | images.tar.gz | No |
| evaluate | dataset.val_ann_path | eval_dataset | annotations.json | No |
| inference | inference.img_dir | inference_dataset | images.tar.gz | No |
| inference | inference.ann_path | inference_dataset | annotations.json | No |
| train | dataset.train_img_dir | train_datasets | images.tar.gz | No |
| train | dataset.train_ann_path | train_datasets | annotations.json | No |
| train | dataset.val_img_dir | eval_dataset | images.tar.gz | No |
| train | dataset.val_ann_path | eval_dataset | annotations.json | 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 spec_overrides.
MAL expects COCO-style annotation JSON plus image paths that match the JSON
file_name entries after the data source is prepared. Archive-only CSV/image
datasets are not compatible unless they are converted to this format first.
S3_TRAIN = "s3://bucket/data/train"
S3_EVAL = "s3://bucket/data/eval"
train (mandatory data sources):
{
"train.num_gpus": 1,
"train.gpu_ids": [
0
],
"train.num_epochs": 5,
"train.checkpoint_interval": 5,
"train.validation_interval": 5,
"dataset.train_img_dir": f"{S3_TRAIN}/images.tar.gz",
"dataset.train_ann_path": f"{S3_TRAIN}/annotations.json",
"dataset.val_img_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}/images.tar.gz",
"dataset.val_ann_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/annotations.json",
}
evaluate (mandatory data sources):
{
"evaluate.checkpoint": "<selected train/AutoML checkpoint>",
"dataset.val_img_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}/images.tar.gz",
"dataset.val_ann_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/annotations.json",
}
inference (mandatory data sources):
{
"inference.checkpoint": "<selected train/AutoML checkpoint>",
"inference.img_dir": f"{S3_EVAL}/images.tar.gz",
"inference.ann_path": f"{S3_EVAL}/annotations.json",
}
For checkpoint-dependent actions, use the model resolver declared in
references/skill_info.yaml. Select the exact epoch/step checkpoint requested
by the user or the best checkpoint when a best-checkpoint action is requested.
The mal_model_latest.pth symlink is only appropriate when the user explicitly
asks for the latest checkpoint.
Eval Dataset
Optional. Val images and annotations configured alongside train paths.
Important Parameters
- model.arch: ViT-MAE backbone variant. Default vit-mae-base/16.
Avoid
vit-deit-tiny/16; the current runtime rejects tiny ViT variants.
- train.lr: Learning rate. Default 1e-6 (very low — fine-tuning ViT).
- dataset.crop_size: Training crop size. Default 512. Use this key, not
model.crop_size.
- train.warmup_epochs: Warmup epochs before full learning rate.
- model.load_mask: Whether to load pre-computed masks.
AutoML / HPO Notes
For MAL AutoML launches, keep the default smoke search space narrow and pass
automl_hyperparameters=["train.lr", "train.wd"]. Use conservative Bayesian
ranges around the ViT-MAE fine-tuning defaults, for example
train.lr from 1e-7 to 1e-5 and train.wd from 1e-5 to 1e-2.
The packaged train schema marks these two parameters as the default AutoML
parameters; pass them explicitly when using a runtime that still derives MAL
search metadata from its bundled config module.
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 |
- Multi-GPU strategy:
ddp_find_unused_parameters_true
- No fsdp support
- LR auto-scaling:
lr = lr * num_devices * batch_size (learning rate is scaled automatically by device count and batch size)
Multi-node env vars (set by orchestrator): WORLD_SIZE, NODE_RANK, MASTER_ADDR, MASTER_PORT, NUM_GPU_PER_NODE.
Hardware
Minimum 1 GPU(s), recommended 2 GPU(s). 24GB+ (A100 recommended) VRAM per GPU. ViT-MAE backbone at crop_size=512 needs 24GB+ GPU memory.
Error Patterns
CUDA out of memory: Reduce dataset.crop_size (512 -> 384 -> 256) or use a smaller ViT-MAE variant (base vs large).
Key crop_size not in MALModelConfig: The crop-size override was placed
under model.crop_size. Move it to dataset.crop_size.
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 create_job(). This mirrors the old microservices infer_params.py flow.
Inference mappings from TAO Core mal.config.json:
| Action | Spec Field | Inference Function | Meaning |
|---|
| evaluate | evaluate.checkpoint | parent_model | model file inferred from the parent job results folder |
| evaluate | results_dir | output_dir | current job results directory |
| inference | inference.checkpoint | parent_model | model file inferred from the parent job results folder |
| inference | inference.label_dump_path | create_inference_result_file_mal | MAL inference JSON path |
| inference | results_dir | output_dir | current job results directory |
| train | train.pretrained_model_path | ptm_if_no_resume_model | optional pretrained model when not resuming |
| train | train.resume_training_checkpoint_path | resume_model | exact checkpoint for resume runs |
| train | results_dir | output_dir | current job results directory |
For parent_model or parent_model_folder, pass the upstream train/export/AutoML child job id as parent_job_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.
