Sets rendering mode for xr if xr is used (#318)

XR rendering requires DLSS RR to reduce the noise of visualization. This
PR:
-Adds xr rendering mode.
-Makes xr rendering mode the default unless explicitly set if xr is
enabled

<!-- As you go through the list, delete the ones that are not
applicable. -->

- Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)

Please attach before and after screenshots of the change if applicable.

<!--
Example:

| Before | After |
| ------ | ----- |
| _gif/png before_ | _gif/png after_ |

To upload images to a PR -- simply drag and drop an image while in edit
mode and it should upload the image directly. You can then paste that
source into the above before/after sections.
-->

- [x] I have run the [`pre-commit` checks](https://pre-commit.com/) with
`./isaaclab.sh --format`
- [x] I have made corresponding changes to the documentation
- [x] My changes generate no new warnings
- [x] I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my
feature works
- [x] I have updated the changelog and the corresponding version in the
extension's `config/extension.toml` file
- [x] I have added my name to the `CONTRIBUTORS.md` or my name already
exists there

<!--
As you go through the checklist above, you can mark something as done by
putting an x character in it

For example,
- [x] I have done this task
- [ ] I have not done this task
-->

apps/rendering_modes/xr.kit

+rtx.translucency.enabled = true
+
+rtx.reflections.enabled = true
+rtx.reflections.denoiser.enabled = true
+
+rtx.directLighting.sampledLighting.denoisingTechnique = 5
+rtx.directLighting.sampledLighting.enabled = true
+
+rtx.sceneDb.ambientLightIntensity = 1.0
+
+rtx.shadows.enabled = true
+
+rtx.indirectDiffuse.enabled = true
+rtx.indirectDiffuse.denoiser.enabled = true
+
+rtx.domeLight.upperLowerStrategy = 4
+
+rtx.ambientOcclusion.enabled = true
+rtx.ambientOcclusion.denoiserMode = 0
+
+rtx.raytracing.subpixel.mode = 1
+rtx.raytracing.cached.enabled = true
+
+# DLSS frame gen does not yet support tiled camera well
+rtx-transient.dlssg.enabled = false
+rtx-transient.dldenoiser.enabled = true
+
+# Set the DLSS model
+rtx.post.dlss.execMode = 2 # can be 0 (Performance), 1 (Balanced), 2 (Quality), or 3 (Auto)
+
+# Avoids replicator warning
+rtx.pathtracing.maxSamplesPerLaunch = 1000000
+
+# Avoids silent trimming of tiles
+rtx.viewTile.limit = 1000000

source/isaaclab/config/extension.toml

 [package]
 
 # Note: Semantic Versioning is used: https://semver.org/
-version = "0.36.12"
+version = "0.36.13"
 
 # Description
 title = "Isaac Lab framework for Robot Learning"

source/isaaclab/docs/CHANGELOG.rst

 Changelog
 ---------
 
-0.36.12 (2025-04-09)
+0.36.13 (2025-04-09)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Changed
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Changed
   the cuda device, which results in NCCL errors on distributed setups.
 
 
-0.36.11 (2025-04-01)
+0.36.12 (2025-04-01)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Fixed
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Fixed
 * Added check in RecorderManager to ensure that the success indicator is only set if the termination manager is present.
 
 
-0.36.10 (2025-03-24)
+0.36.11 (2025-03-24)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Changed
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ Changed
   the default settings will be used from the experience files and the double definition is removed.
 
 
-0.36.9 (2025-03-17)
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+0.36.10 (2025-03-17)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Fixed
 ^^^^^
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ Fixed
   :attr:`effort_limit` is set.
 
 
+0.36.9 (2025-03-18)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Added
+^^^^^^^
+
+* Xr rendering mode, which is default when xr is used.
+
+
 0.36.8 (2025-03-17)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/app/app_launcher.py

@@ -316,11 +316,12 @@ class AppLauncher:
         arg_group.add_argument(
             "--rendering_mode",
             type=str,
+            action=ExplicitAction,
             default="balanced",
-            choices={"performance", "balanced", "quality"},
+            choices={"performance", "balanced", "quality", "xr"},
             help=(
                 "Sets the rendering mode. Preset settings files can be found in apps/rendering_modes."
-                ' Can be "performance", "balanced", or "quality".'
+                ' Can be "performance", "balanced", "quality", or "xr".'
                 " Individual settings can be overwritten by using the RenderCfg class."
             ),
         )
@@ -351,6 +352,7 @@ class AppLauncher:
         "xr": ([bool], False),
         "device": ([str], "cuda:0"),
         "experience": ([str], ""),
+        "rendering_mode": ([str], "balanced"),
     }
     """A dictionary of arguments added manually by the :meth:`AppLauncher.add_app_launcher_args` method.
 
@@ -847,6 +849,11 @@ class AppLauncher:
 
         rendering_mode = launcher_args.get("rendering_mode", "balanced")
 
+        rendering_mode_explicitly_passed = launcher_args.pop("rendering_mode_explicit", False)
+        if self._xr and not rendering_mode_explicitly_passed:
+            # If no rendering mode is specified, default to the xr mode if we are running in XR
+            rendering_mode = "xr"
+
         # parse preset file
         repo_path = os.path.join(carb.tokens.get_tokens_interface().resolve("${app}"), "..")
         preset_filename = os.path.join(repo_path, f"apps/rendering_modes/{rendering_mode}.kit")

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/sim/simulation_cfg.py

@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ class RenderCfg:
              rtx.translucency.enabled: False # .kit
              rtx_translucency_enabled: False # python"""
 
-    rendering_mode: Literal["performance", "balanced", "quality"] | None = None
+    rendering_mode: Literal["performance", "balanced", "quality", "xr"] | None = None
     """Sets the rendering mode. Behaves the same as the CLI arg '--rendering_mode'"""
 
 

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/sim/simulation_context.py

@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ class SimulationContext(_SimulationContext):
         rendering_mode = self.cfg.render.rendering_mode
         if rendering_mode is not None:
             # check if preset is supported
-            supported_rendering_modes = ["performance", "balanced", "quality"]
+            supported_rendering_modes = ["performance", "balanced", "quality", "xr"]
             if rendering_mode not in supported_rendering_modes:
                 raise ValueError(
                     f"RenderCfg rendering mode '{rendering_mode}' not in supported modes {supported_rendering_modes}."

source/isaaclab/test/sim/test_simulation_render_config.py

@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class TestSimulationRenderConfig(unittest.TestCase):
         # user-friendly setting overrides
         dlss_mode = ("/rtx/post/dlss/execMode", 5)
 
-        rendering_modes = ["performance", "balanced", "quality"]
+        rendering_modes = ["performance", "balanced", "quality", "xr"]
 
         for rendering_mode in rendering_modes:
             # grab groundtruth preset settings