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develop/doc/_sources/design/block.md.txt

+# Design Doc: Block and Scope
+
+## The Representation of Computation
+
+Both deep learning systems and programming languages help users describe computation procedures.  These systems use various representations of computation:
+
+- Caffe, Torch, and Paddle: sequences of layers.
+- TensorFlow, Caffe2, Mxnet: graphs of operators.
+- PaddlePaddle: nested blocks, like C++ and Java programs.
+
+## Block in Programming Languages and Deep Learning
+
+In programming languages, a block is a pair of curly braces that includes local variables definitions and a sequence of instructions, or operators.
+
+Blocks work with control flow structures like `if`, `else`, and `for`, which have equivalents in deep learning:
+
+| programming languages | PaddlePaddle          |
+|-----------------------|-----------------------|
+| for, while loop       | RNN, WhileOp          |
+| if, if-else, switch   | IfElseOp, SwitchOp    |
+| sequential execution  | a sequence of layers  |
+
+A key difference is that a C++ program describes a one pass computation, whereas a deep learning program describes both the forward and backward passes.
+
+## Stack Frames and the Scope Hierarchy
+
+The existence of the backward makes the execution of a block of traditional programs and PaddlePaddle different to each other:
+
+| programming languages | PaddlePaddle                  |
+|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
+| stack                 | scope hierarchy               |
+| stack frame           | scope                         |
+| push at entering block| push at entering block        |
+| pop at leaving block  | destroy at minibatch completes|
+
+1. In traditional programs:
+
+   - When the execution enters the left curly brace of a block, the runtime pushes a frame into the stack, where it realizes local variables.
+   - After the execution leaves the right curly brace, the runtime pops the frame.
+   - The maximum number of frames in the stack is the maximum depth of nested blocks.
+
+1. In PaddlePaddle
+
+   - When the execution enters a block, PaddlePaddle adds a new scope, where it realizes variables.
+   - PaddlePaddle doesn't pop a scope after the execution of the block because variables therein are to be used by the backward pass.  So it has a stack forest known as a *scope hierarchy*.
+   - The height of the highest tree is the maximum depth of nested blocks.
+   - After the process of a minibatch, PaddlePaddle destroys the scope hierarchy.
+
+## Use Blocks in C++ and PaddlePaddle Programs
+
+Let us consolidate the discussion by presenting some examples.
+
+### Blocks with `if-else` and `IfElseOp`
+
+The following C++ programs shows how blocks are used with the `if-else` structure:
+
+```c++
+int x = 10;
+int y = 20;
+int out;
+bool cond = false;
+if (cond) {
+  int z = x + y;
+  out = softmax(z);
+} else {
+  int z = fc(x);
+  out = z;
+}
+```
+
+An equivalent PaddlePaddle program from the design doc of the [IfElseOp operator](./if_else_op.md) is as follows:
+
+```python
+import paddle as pd
+
+x = var(10)
+y = var(20)
+cond = var(false)
+ie = pd.create_ifelseop(inputs=[x], output_num=1)
+with ie.true_block():
+    x = ie.inputs(true, 0)
+    z = operator.add(x, y)
+    ie.set_output(true, 0, operator.softmax(z))
+with ie.false_block():
+    x = ie.inputs(false, 0)
+    z = layer.fc(x)
+    ie.set_output(true, 0, operator.softmax(z))
+out = b(cond)
+```
+
+In both examples, the left branch computes `softmax(x+y)` and the right branch computes `fc(x)`.
+
+A difference is that variables in the C++ program contain scalar values, whereas those in the PaddlePaddle programs are mini-batches of instances.  The `ie.input(true, 0)` invocation returns instances in the 0-th input, `x`, that corresponds to true values in `cond` as the local variable `x`, where `ie.input(false, 0)` returns instances corresponding to false values.
+
+### Blocks with `for` and `RNNOp`
+
+The following RNN model from the [RNN design doc](./rnn.md)
+
+```python
+x = sequence([10, 20, 30])
+m = var(0)
+W = tensor()
+U = tensor()
+
+rnn = create_rnn(inputs=[input])
+with rnn.stepnet() as net:
+  x = net.set_inputs(0)
+  h = net.add_memory(init=m)
+  fc_out = pd.matmul(W, x)
+  hidden_out = pd.matmul(U, h.pre(n=1))
+  sum = pd.add_two(fc_out, hidden_out)
+  act = pd.sigmoid(sum)
+  h.update(act)                       # update memory with act
+  net.set_outputs(0, act, hidden_out) # two outputs
+
+o1, o2 = rnn()
+print o1, o2
+```
+
+has its equivalent C++ program as follows
+
+```c++
+int* x = {10, 20, 30};
+int m = 0;
+int W = some_value();
+int U = some_other_value();
+
+int mem[sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]) + 1];
+int o1[sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]) + 1];
+int o2[sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]) + 1];
+for (int i = 1; i <= sizeof(x)/sizeof(x[0]); ++i) {
+  int x = x[i-1];
+  if (i == 1) mem[0] = m;
+  int fc_out = W * x;
+  int hidden_out = Y * mem[i-1];
+  int sum = fc_out + hidden_out;
+  int act = sigmoid(sum);
+  mem[i] = act;
+  o1[i] = act;
+  o2[i] = hidden_out;
+}
+
+print_array(o1);
+print_array(o2);
+```
+
+
+## Compilation and Execution
+
+Like TensorFlow programs, a PaddlePaddle program is written in Python.  The first part describes a neural network as a protobuf message, and the rest part executes the message for training or inference.
+
+The generation of this protobuf message is like what a compiler generates a binary executable file.  The execution of the message that the OS executes the binary file.
+
+## The "Binary Executable File Format"
+
+The definition of the protobuf message is as follows:
+
+```protobuf
+message BlockDesc {
+  repeated VarDesc vars = 1;
+  repeated OpDesc ops = 2;
+}
+```
+
+The step net in above RNN example would look like
+
+```
+BlockDesc {
+  vars = {
+    VarDesc {...} // x
+    VarDesc {...} // h
+    VarDesc {...} // fc_out
+    VarDesc {...} // hidden_out
+    VarDesc {...} // sum
+    VarDesc {...} // act
+  }
+  ops = {
+    OpDesc {...} // matmul
+    OpDesc {...} // add_two
+    OpDesc {...} // sigmoid
+  }
+};
+```
+
+Also, the RNN operator in above example is serialized into a protobuf message of type `OpDesc` and would look like:
+
+```
+OpDesc {
+  inputs = {0} // the index of x
+  outputs = {5, 3} // indices of act and hidden_out
+  attrs {
+    "memories" : {1} // the index of h
+    "step_net" : <above step net>
+  }
+};
+```
+
+This `OpDesc` value is in the `ops` field of the `BlockDesc` value representing the global block.
+
+
+## The Compilation of Blocks
+
+During the generation of the Protobuf message, the Block should store VarDesc (the Protobuf message which describes Variable) and OpDesc (the Protobuf message which describes Operator).
+
+VarDesc in a block should have its name scope to avoid local variables affect parent block's name scope.
+Child block's name scopes should inherit the parent's so that OpDesc in child block can reference a VarDesc that stored in parent block. For example
+
+```python
+a = pd.Varaible(shape=[20, 20])
+b = pd.fc(a, params=["fc.w", "fc.b"])
+
+rnn = pd.create_rnn()
+with rnn.stepnet() as net:
+    x = net.set_inputs(a)
+    # reuse fc's parameter
+    fc_without_b = pd.get_variable("fc.w")
+    net.set_outputs(fc_without_b)
+
+out = rnn()
+```
+the method `pd.get_variable` can help retrieve a Variable by a name, a Variable may store in a parent block, but might be retrieved in a child block, so block should have a variable scope that supports inheritance.
+
+In compiler design, the symbol table is a data structure created and maintained by compilers to store information about the occurrence of various entities such as variable names, function names, classes, etc.
+
+To store the definition of variables and operators, we define a C++ class `SymbolTable`, like the one used in compilers.
+
+`SymbolTable` can do the following stuff:
+
+- store the definitions (some names and attributes) of variables and operators,
+- to verify if a variable was declared,
+- to make it possible to implement type checking (offer Protobuf message pointers to `InferShape` handlers).
+
+
+```c++
+// Information in SymbolTable is enough to trace the dependency graph. So maybe
+// the Eval() interface takes a SymbolTable is enough.
+class SymbolTable {
+ public:
+  SymbolTable(SymbolTable* parent) : parent_(parent) {}
+
+  OpDesc* NewOp(const string& name="");
+
+  // TODO determine whether name is generated by python or C++
+  // currently assume that a unique name will be generated by C++ if the
+  // argument name left default.
+  VarDesc* NewVar(const string& name="");
+
+  // find a VarDesc by name, if recursive true, find parent's SymbolTable
+  // recursively.
+  // this interface is introduced to support InferShape, find protobuf messages
+  // of variables and operators, pass pointers into InferShape.
+  // operator
+  //
+  // NOTE maybe some C++ classes such as VarDescBuilder and OpDescBuilder should
+  // be proposed and embedded into pybind to enable python operate on C++ pointers.
+  VarDesc* FindVar(const string& name, bool recursive=true);
+
+  OpDesc* FindOp(const string& name);
+
+  BlockDesc Compile() const;
+
+ private:
+  SymbolTable* parent_;
+
+  map<string, OpDesc> ops_;
+  map<string, VarDesc> vars_;
+};
+```
+
+After all the description of variables and operators is added into SymbolTable,
+the block has enough information to run.
+
+The `Block` class takes a `BlockDesc` as input, and provide `Run` and `InferShape` functions.
+
+
+```c++
+namespace {
+
+class Block : OperatorBase {
+public:
+  Block(const BlockDesc& desc) desc_(desc) {}
+
+  void InferShape(const framework::Scope& scope) const override {
+    if (!symbols_ready_) {
+      CreateVariables(scope);
+      CreateOperators();
+    }
+    // should run InferShape first.
+    for (auto& op : runtime_table_.ops()) {
+      op->InferShape(scope);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void Run(const framework::Scope& scope,
+           const platform::DeviceContext& dev_ctx) const override {
+    PADDLE_ENFORCE(symbols_ready_, "operators and variables should be created first.");
+    for (auto& op : runtime_table_.ops()) {
+      op->Run(scope, dev_ctx);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void CreateVariables(const framework::Scope& scope);
+  void CreateOperators();
+
+  // some other necessary interfaces of NetOp are list below
+  // ...
+
+private:
+  BlockDesc desc_;
+  bool symbols_ready_{false};
+};
+```
+
+## The Execution of Blocks
+
+Block inherits from OperatorBase, which has a Run method.
+Block's Run method will run its operators sequentially.
+
+There is another important interface called `Eval`, which take some arguments called targets, and generate a minimal graph which takes targets as the end points and creates a new Block,
+after `Run`, `Eval` will get the latest value and return the targets.
+
+The definition of Eval is as follows:
+
+```c++
+// clean a block description by targets using the corresponding dependency graph.
+// return a new BlockDesc with minimal number of operators.
+// NOTE not return a Block but the block's description so that this can be distributed
+// to a cluster.
+BlockDesc Prune(const BlockDesc& desc, vector<string> targets);
+
+void Block::Eval(const vector<string>& targets,
+                 const framework::Scope& scope,
+                 const platform::DeviceContext& dev_ctx) {
+  BlockDesc min_desc = Prune(desc_, targets);
+  Block min_block(min_desc);
+  min_block.Run(scope, dev_ctx);
+}
+```

develop/doc_cn/_sources/design/block.md.txt

+# Design Doc: Block and Scope
+
+## The Representation of Computation
+
+Both deep learning systems and programming languages help users describe computation procedures.  These systems use various representations of computation:
+
+- Caffe, Torch, and Paddle: sequences of layers.
+- TensorFlow, Caffe2, Mxnet: graphs of operators.
+- PaddlePaddle: nested blocks, like C++ and Java programs.
+
+## Block in Programming Languages and Deep Learning
+
+In programming languages, a block is a pair of curly braces that includes local variables definitions and a sequence of instructions, or operators.
+
+Blocks work with control flow structures like `if`, `else`, and `for`, which have equivalents in deep learning:
+
+| programming languages | PaddlePaddle          |
+|-----------------------|-----------------------|
+| for, while loop       | RNN, WhileOp          |
+| if, if-else, switch   | IfElseOp, SwitchOp    |
+| sequential execution  | a sequence of layers  |
+
+A key difference is that a C++ program describes a one pass computation, whereas a deep learning program describes both the forward and backward passes.
+
+## Stack Frames and the Scope Hierarchy
+
+The existence of the backward makes the execution of a block of traditional programs and PaddlePaddle different to each other:
+
+| programming languages | PaddlePaddle                  |
+|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
+| stack                 | scope hierarchy               |
+| stack frame           | scope                         |
+| push at entering block| push at entering block        |
+| pop at leaving block  | destroy at minibatch completes|
+
+1. In traditional programs:
+
+   - When the execution enters the left curly brace of a block, the runtime pushes a frame into the stack, where it realizes local variables.
+   - After the execution leaves the right curly brace, the runtime pops the frame.
+   - The maximum number of frames in the stack is the maximum depth of nested blocks.
+
+1. In PaddlePaddle
+
+   - When the execution enters a block, PaddlePaddle adds a new scope, where it realizes variables.
+   - PaddlePaddle doesn't pop a scope after the execution of the block because variables therein are to be used by the backward pass.  So it has a stack forest known as a *scope hierarchy*.
+   - The height of the highest tree is the maximum depth of nested blocks.
+   - After the process of a minibatch, PaddlePaddle destroys the scope hierarchy.
+
+## Use Blocks in C++ and PaddlePaddle Programs
+
+Let us consolidate the discussion by presenting some examples.
+
+### Blocks with `if-else` and `IfElseOp`
+
+The following C++ programs shows how blocks are used with the `if-else` structure:
+
+```c++
+int x = 10;
+int y = 20;
+int out;
+bool cond = false;
+if (cond) {
+  int z = x + y;
+  out = softmax(z);
+} else {
+  int z = fc(x);
+  out = z;
+}
+```
+
+An equivalent PaddlePaddle program from the design doc of the [IfElseOp operator](./if_else_op.md) is as follows:
+
+```python
+import paddle as pd
+
+x = var(10)
+y = var(20)
+cond = var(false)
+ie = pd.create_ifelseop(inputs=[x], output_num=1)
+with ie.true_block():
+    x = ie.inputs(true, 0)
+    z = operator.add(x, y)
+    ie.set_output(true, 0, operator.softmax(z))
+with ie.false_block():
+    x = ie.inputs(false, 0)
+    z = layer.fc(x)
+    ie.set_output(true, 0, operator.softmax(z))
+out = b(cond)
+```
+
+In both examples, the left branch computes `softmax(x+y)` and the right branch computes `fc(x)`.
+
+A difference is that variables in the C++ program contain scalar values, whereas those in the PaddlePaddle programs are mini-batches of instances.  The `ie.input(true, 0)` invocation returns instances in the 0-th input, `x`, that corresponds to true values in `cond` as the local variable `x`, where `ie.input(false, 0)` returns instances corresponding to false values.
+
+### Blocks with `for` and `RNNOp`
+
+The following RNN model from the [RNN design doc](./rnn.md)
+
+```python
+x = sequence([10, 20, 30])
+m = var(0)
+W = tensor()
+U = tensor()
+
+rnn = create_rnn(inputs=[input])
+with rnn.stepnet() as net:
+  x = net.set_inputs(0)
+  h = net.add_memory(init=m)
+  fc_out = pd.matmul(W, x)
+  hidden_out = pd.matmul(U, h.pre(n=1))
+  sum = pd.add_two(fc_out, hidden_out)
+  act = pd.sigmoid(sum)
+  h.update(act)                       # update memory with act
+  net.set_outputs(0, act, hidden_out) # two outputs
+
+o1, o2 = rnn()
+print o1, o2
+```
+
+has its equivalent C++ program as follows
+
+```c++
+int* x = {10, 20, 30};
+int m = 0;
+int W = some_value();
+int U = some_other_value();
+
+int mem[sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]) + 1];
+int o1[sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]) + 1];
+int o2[sizeof(x) / sizeof(x[0]) + 1];
+for (int i = 1; i <= sizeof(x)/sizeof(x[0]); ++i) {
+  int x = x[i-1];
+  if (i == 1) mem[0] = m;
+  int fc_out = W * x;
+  int hidden_out = Y * mem[i-1];
+  int sum = fc_out + hidden_out;
+  int act = sigmoid(sum);
+  mem[i] = act;
+  o1[i] = act;
+  o2[i] = hidden_out;
+}
+
+print_array(o1);
+print_array(o2);
+```
+
+
+## Compilation and Execution
+
+Like TensorFlow programs, a PaddlePaddle program is written in Python.  The first part describes a neural network as a protobuf message, and the rest part executes the message for training or inference.
+
+The generation of this protobuf message is like what a compiler generates a binary executable file.  The execution of the message that the OS executes the binary file.
+
+## The "Binary Executable File Format"
+
+The definition of the protobuf message is as follows:
+
+```protobuf
+message BlockDesc {
+  repeated VarDesc vars = 1;
+  repeated OpDesc ops = 2;
+}
+```
+
+The step net in above RNN example would look like
+
+```
+BlockDesc {
+  vars = {
+    VarDesc {...} // x
+    VarDesc {...} // h
+    VarDesc {...} // fc_out
+    VarDesc {...} // hidden_out
+    VarDesc {...} // sum
+    VarDesc {...} // act
+  }
+  ops = {
+    OpDesc {...} // matmul
+    OpDesc {...} // add_two
+    OpDesc {...} // sigmoid
+  }
+};
+```
+
+Also, the RNN operator in above example is serialized into a protobuf message of type `OpDesc` and would look like:
+
+```
+OpDesc {
+  inputs = {0} // the index of x
+  outputs = {5, 3} // indices of act and hidden_out
+  attrs {
+    "memories" : {1} // the index of h
+    "step_net" : <above step net>
+  }
+};
+```
+
+This `OpDesc` value is in the `ops` field of the `BlockDesc` value representing the global block.
+
+
+## The Compilation of Blocks
+
+During the generation of the Protobuf message, the Block should store VarDesc (the Protobuf message which describes Variable) and OpDesc (the Protobuf message which describes Operator).
+
+VarDesc in a block should have its name scope to avoid local variables affect parent block's name scope.
+Child block's name scopes should inherit the parent's so that OpDesc in child block can reference a VarDesc that stored in parent block. For example
+
+```python
+a = pd.Varaible(shape=[20, 20])
+b = pd.fc(a, params=["fc.w", "fc.b"])
+
+rnn = pd.create_rnn()
+with rnn.stepnet() as net:
+    x = net.set_inputs(a)
+    # reuse fc's parameter
+    fc_without_b = pd.get_variable("fc.w")
+    net.set_outputs(fc_without_b)
+
+out = rnn()
+```
+the method `pd.get_variable` can help retrieve a Variable by a name, a Variable may store in a parent block, but might be retrieved in a child block, so block should have a variable scope that supports inheritance.
+
+In compiler design, the symbol table is a data structure created and maintained by compilers to store information about the occurrence of various entities such as variable names, function names, classes, etc.
+
+To store the definition of variables and operators, we define a C++ class `SymbolTable`, like the one used in compilers.
+
+`SymbolTable` can do the following stuff:
+
+- store the definitions (some names and attributes) of variables and operators,
+- to verify if a variable was declared,
+- to make it possible to implement type checking (offer Protobuf message pointers to `InferShape` handlers).
+
+
+```c++
+// Information in SymbolTable is enough to trace the dependency graph. So maybe
+// the Eval() interface takes a SymbolTable is enough.
+class SymbolTable {
+ public:
+  SymbolTable(SymbolTable* parent) : parent_(parent) {}
+
+  OpDesc* NewOp(const string& name="");
+
+  // TODO determine whether name is generated by python or C++
+  // currently assume that a unique name will be generated by C++ if the
+  // argument name left default.
+  VarDesc* NewVar(const string& name="");
+
+  // find a VarDesc by name, if recursive true, find parent's SymbolTable
+  // recursively.
+  // this interface is introduced to support InferShape, find protobuf messages
+  // of variables and operators, pass pointers into InferShape.
+  // operator
+  //
+  // NOTE maybe some C++ classes such as VarDescBuilder and OpDescBuilder should
+  // be proposed and embedded into pybind to enable python operate on C++ pointers.
+  VarDesc* FindVar(const string& name, bool recursive=true);
+
+  OpDesc* FindOp(const string& name);
+
+  BlockDesc Compile() const;
+
+ private:
+  SymbolTable* parent_;
+
+  map<string, OpDesc> ops_;
+  map<string, VarDesc> vars_;
+};
+```
+
+After all the description of variables and operators is added into SymbolTable,
+the block has enough information to run.
+
+The `Block` class takes a `BlockDesc` as input, and provide `Run` and `InferShape` functions.
+
+
+```c++
+namespace {
+
+class Block : OperatorBase {
+public:
+  Block(const BlockDesc& desc) desc_(desc) {}
+
+  void InferShape(const framework::Scope& scope) const override {
+    if (!symbols_ready_) {
+      CreateVariables(scope);
+      CreateOperators();
+    }
+    // should run InferShape first.
+    for (auto& op : runtime_table_.ops()) {
+      op->InferShape(scope);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void Run(const framework::Scope& scope,
+           const platform::DeviceContext& dev_ctx) const override {
+    PADDLE_ENFORCE(symbols_ready_, "operators and variables should be created first.");
+    for (auto& op : runtime_table_.ops()) {
+      op->Run(scope, dev_ctx);
+    }
+  }
+
+  void CreateVariables(const framework::Scope& scope);
+  void CreateOperators();
+
+  // some other necessary interfaces of NetOp are list below
+  // ...
+
+private:
+  BlockDesc desc_;
+  bool symbols_ready_{false};
+};
+```
+
+## The Execution of Blocks
+
+Block inherits from OperatorBase, which has a Run method.
+Block's Run method will run its operators sequentially.
+
+There is another important interface called `Eval`, which take some arguments called targets, and generate a minimal graph which takes targets as the end points and creates a new Block,
+after `Run`, `Eval` will get the latest value and return the targets.
+
+The definition of Eval is as follows:
+
+```c++
+// clean a block description by targets using the corresponding dependency graph.
+// return a new BlockDesc with minimal number of operators.
+// NOTE not return a Block but the block's description so that this can be distributed
+// to a cluster.
+BlockDesc Prune(const BlockDesc& desc, vector<string> targets);
+
+void Block::Eval(const vector<string>& targets,
+                 const framework::Scope& scope,
+                 const platform::DeviceContext& dev_ctx) {
+  BlockDesc min_desc = Prune(desc_, targets);
+  Block min_block(min_desc);
+  min_block.Run(scope, dev_ctx);
+}
+```