quick_start_en.md

Setting up First Visualization
==============================

VisualDL is a deep learning visualization tool. It can be used to visualize intermediate and final results for training.
Currently, VisualDL supports visualization features as follows:

- Scalar: plot of trends, can be used to show error trends during training.
- Image: image visualization, can be used to show intermediate images from CNN.
- Audio: can be used to play input audio samples or generated audio samples.
- Histogram: can be used to show parameter distribution and trend.
- Graph: can be used to visualize model structure.
- High dimensional: can be used to visualize embeddings projection.

VisualDL provides both Python SDK and C++ SDK in nature. It can support various frameworks.
Users can retrieve visualization data by simply adding a few lines of code using Pythong SDK.
In addition, users can also have a deep integration by using the C++ SDK at a lower level.

## A Simple Python Demo on Scalar
For simplicity, we first try to use Python SDK.

The first step of using VisualDL is to create a `LogWriter' that can store visualization data.


```python
from VisualDL import LogWriter
from random import random

logw = LogWriter("./random_log", sync_cycle=10000)
```

The first parameter points to a folder; the second parameter `sync_cycle` specifies out of how memory operations should be
store the data into hard drive.

### sync_cycle
Writing is a heavy operation. Setting `sync_cycle` might slow down your training.
A good starting point is to set the `sync_cycle` to be at least twice the amount of data point your would like to capture.

There are different modes for model training, such as training, validating and testing. All these correspond to `mode' in VisualDL.
We can use the following pattern to specify mode:


```python
with logw.mode("train") as logger:
    pass
```

Next we create a `Scalar` component. Each component needs a tag. A tag can be a string of any length.
For example, `layer/classification/error`.

```python
# create scalars in mode train and test.
with logw.mode('train') as logger:
    scalar0 = logger.scalar("scratch/scalar")

with logw.mode('test') as logger:
    scalar1 = logger.scalar("scratch/scalar")

# add scalar records.
for step in range(200):
    scalar0.add_record(step, step * 1. / 200)
    scalar1.add_record(step, 1. - step * 1. / 200)
```

The example above randomly generated some logs. Next we can open the board page:

```
visualdl --logdir ./random_log --port 8080
```

Point your browser to `http://0.0.0.0:8080`, you can see the scalar as follows:

<p align="center">
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PaddlePaddle/VisualDL/develop/docs/images/scratch_scalar.png"/>
</p>

## Scalar Demo in C++
VisualDL's C++ SDK is very similar to its Python SDK. The Python demo above can be writen in C++ as follows:

```c++
  const auto dir = "./randomlog";
  LogWriter logwriter(dir, 30);
  auto logger = logwriter.AsMode("train");

  components::Scalar<float> scalar0(writer.AddTablet("scalar0"));
  components::Scalar<float> scalar1(writer.AddTablet("scalar1"));

  for (int step = 0; step < 200; step++) {
    scalar0.AddRecord(step, step * 1. / 200);
    scalar1.AddRecord(step, 1. - step * 1. / 200);
  }
```

## Visualization Based on ONNX Model Structure
VisualDL supports the visualization for the format in [ONNX](https://github.com/onnx/onnx).
Currently, ONNX supports format conversion among various deep learning frameworks such as `MXNet`, `PyTorch`, `Caffe2`, `Caffe`.

```
visualdl --logdir somedir --model_pb <path_to_onnx_model>
```

For example, for the MNIST dataset, Graph component can render model graph as below:

<p align=center>
<img width="70%" src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PaddlePaddle/VisualDL/develop/demo/mxnet/mxnet_graph.gif" />
</p>

Please consult [ONNX tutorials](https://github.com/onnx/tutorials) on how to export the ONNX format model.

The VisualDL Graphing system uses `GraphViz` to visualize the ONNX model. To enable the VisualDL Graph feature,
please install [GraphViz](https://www.graphviz.org/download/).