models/research/deeplab/g3doc/ade20k.md

# Running DeepLab on ADE20K Semantic Segmentation Dataset

This page walks through the steps required to run DeepLab on ADE20K dataset on a
local machine.

## Download dataset and convert to TFRecord

We have prepared the script (under the folder `datasets`) to download and
convert ADE20K semantic segmentation dataset to TFRecord.

```bash
# From the tensorflow/models/research/deeplab/datasets directory.
bash download_and_convert_ade20k.sh
```

The converted dataset will be saved at ./deeplab/datasets/ADE20K/tfrecord

## Recommended Directory Structure for Training and Evaluation

```
+ datasets
   - build_data.py
   - build_ade20k_data.py
   - download_and_convert_ade20k.sh
   + ADE20K
     + tfrecord
    + exp
      + train_on_train_set
        + train
        + eval
        + vis
     + ADEChallengeData2016
       + annotations
         + training
         + validation
       + images
         + training
         + validation
```

where the folder `train_on_train_set` stores the train/eval/vis events and
results (when training DeepLab on the ADE20K train set).

## Running the train/eval/vis jobs

A local training job using `xception_65` can be run with the following command:

```bash
# From tensorflow/models/research/
python deeplab/train.py \
    --logtostderr \
    --training_number_of_steps=150000 \
    --train_split="train" \
    --model_variant="xception_65" \
    --atrous_rates=6 \
    --atrous_rates=12 \
    --atrous_rates=18 \
    --output_stride=16 \
    --decoder_output_stride=4 \
    --train_crop_size="513,513" \
    --train_batch_size=4 \
    --min_resize_value=513 \
    --max_resize_value=513 \
    --resize_factor=16 \
    --dataset="ade20k" \
    --tf_initial_checkpoint=${PATH_TO_INITIAL_CHECKPOINT} \
    --train_logdir=${PATH_TO_TRAIN_DIR}\
    --dataset_dir=${PATH_TO_DATASET}
```

where ${PATH\_TO\_INITIAL\_CHECKPOINT} is the path to the initial checkpoint.
${PATH\_TO\_TRAIN\_DIR} is the directory in which training checkpoints and
events will be written to (it is recommended to set it to the
`train_on_train_set/train` above), and ${PATH\_TO\_DATASET} is the directory in
which the ADE20K dataset resides (the `tfrecord` above)

**Note that for train.py:**

1.  In order to fine tune the BN layers, one needs to use large batch size (>
    12), and set fine_tune_batch_norm = True. Here, we simply use small batch
    size during training for the purpose of demonstration. If the users have
    limited GPU memory at hand, please fine-tune from our provided checkpoints
    whose batch norm parameters have been trained, and use smaller learning rate
    with fine_tune_batch_norm = False.

2.  User should fine tune the `min_resize_value` and `max_resize_value` to get
    better result. Note that `resize_factor` has to be equal to `output_stride`.

3.  The users should change atrous_rates from [6, 12, 18] to [12, 24, 36] if
    setting output_stride=8.

4.  The users could skip the flag, `decoder_output_stride`, if you do not want
    to use the decoder structure.

## Running Tensorboard

Progress for training and evaluation jobs can be inspected using Tensorboard. If
using the recommended directory structure, Tensorboard can be run using the
following command:

```bash
tensorboard --logdir=${PATH_TO_LOG_DIRECTORY}
```

where `${PATH_TO_LOG_DIRECTORY}` points to the directory that contains the train
directorie (e.g., the folder `train_on_train_set` in the above example). Please
note it may take Tensorboard a couple minutes to populate with data.