Fixes rendering mode preset (#574)

# Description

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Tweak rendering preset default behavior

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## Type of change

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

- [ ] I have run the [`pre-commit` checks](https://pre-commit.com/) with
`./isaaclab.sh --format`
- [ ] I have made corresponding changes to the documentation
- [ ] My changes generate no new warnings
- [ ] I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my
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- [ ] I have updated the changelog and the corresponding version in the
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---------
Signed-off-by: matthewtrepte <mtrepte@nvidia.com>
Signed-off-by: Kelly Guo <kellyg@nvidia.com>
Co-authored-by: Kelly Guo <kellyg@nvidia.com>

docs/source/how-to/configure_rendering.rst

@@ -18,16 +18,12 @@ Rendering modes can be selected in 2 ways.
      # scripts/tutorials/00_sim/set_rendering_mode.py
      render_cfg = sim_utils.RenderCfg(rendering_mode="performance")
 
-2. using the ``--rendering_mode`` CLI argument and not passing ``rendering_mode`` to :class:`~sim.RenderCfg`, since :class:`~sim.RenderCfg` takes precedence.
+2. using the ``--rendering_mode`` CLI argument, which takes precedence over the ``rendering_mode`` argument in :class:`~sim.RenderCfg`.
 
    .. code-block:: bash
 
      ./isaaclab.sh -p scripts/tutorials/00_sim/set_rendering_mode.py --rendering_mode {performance/balanced/quality}
 
-   .. code-block:: bash
-
-     # in the tutorial script example, remove the rendering_mode passed to RenderCfg
-     render_cfg = sim_utils.RenderCfg()
 
 Note, the ``rendering_mode`` defaults to ``balanced``.
 However, in the case where the launcher argument ``--enable_cameras`` is not set, then

scripts/tutorials/00_sim/set_rendering_mode.py

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def main():
     """Main function."""
 
     # rendering modes include performance, balanced, and quality
+    # note, the rendering_mode specified in the CLI argument (--rendering_mode) takes precedence over this Render Config setting
     rendering_mode = "performance"
 
     # carb setting dictionary can include any rtx carb setting which will overwrite the native preset setting

source/isaaclab/config/extension.toml

 [package]
 
 # Note: Semantic Versioning is used: https://semver.org/
-version = "0.44.4"
+version = "0.44.5"
 
 # Description
 title = "Isaac Lab framework for Robot Learning"

source/isaaclab/docs/CHANGELOG.rst

 Changelog
 ---------
 
+0.44.5 (2025-07-28)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Changed
+^^^^^^^
+
+* Tweak default behavior for rendering preset modes.
+
 0.44.4 (2025-07-18)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/app/app_launcher.py

@@ -868,13 +868,11 @@ class AppLauncher:
 
         rendering_mode = launcher_args.get("rendering_mode")
 
+        if rendering_mode is None:
             # use default kit rendering settings if cameras are disabled and a rendering mode is not selected
-        if not self._enable_cameras and rendering_mode is None:
+            if not self._enable_cameras:
                 return
-
-        # default to balanced mode
-        if rendering_mode is None:
-            rendering_mode = "balanced"
+            rendering_mode = ""
 
         # store rendering mode in carb settings
         carb_settings = carb.settings.get_settings()

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/sim/simulation_context.py

@@ -330,10 +330,15 @@ class SimulationContext(_SimulationContext):
 
         not_carb_settings = ["rendering_mode", "carb_settings", "antialiasing_mode"]
 
-        # grab rendering mode, defaulting first to the CLI arg --rendering_mode
+        # grab the rendering mode using the following priority:
+        # 1. command line argument --rendering_mode, if provided
+        # 2. rendering_mode from Render Config, if set
+        # 3. lastly, default to "balanced" mode, if neither is specified
         rendering_mode = get_carb_setting(self.carb_settings, "/isaaclab/rendering/rendering_mode")
-        if rendering_mode is None:
+        if not rendering_mode:
             rendering_mode = self.cfg.render.rendering_mode
+        if not rendering_mode:
+            rendering_mode = "balanced"
 
         # set preset settings (same behavior as the CLI arg --rendering_mode)
         if rendering_mode is not None:
@@ -345,11 +350,10 @@ class SimulationContext(_SimulationContext):
                 )
 
             # parse preset file
-            # check if using isaac sim 4.5 and adjust path accordingly
-            repo_path = os.path.join(carb.tokens.get_tokens_interface().resolve("${app}"))
-            if self._isaacsim_version[0] == 4 and self._isaacsim_version[1] == 5:
-                repo_path = os.path.join(repo_path, "isaacsim_4_5")
-            preset_filename = os.path.join(repo_path, f"rendering_modes/{rendering_mode}.kit")
+            repo_path = os.path.join(carb.tokens.get_tokens_interface().resolve("${app}"), "..")
+            if float(".".join(self._isaacsim_version[2])) < 5:
+                repo_path = os.path.join(repo_path, "..")
+            preset_filename = os.path.join(repo_path, f"apps/rendering_modes/{rendering_mode}.kit")
             with open(preset_filename) as file:
                 preset_dict = toml.load(file)
             preset_dict = dict(flatdict.FlatDict(preset_dict, delimiter="."))

tools/test_settings.py

@@ -12,24 +12,25 @@ import os
 ISAACLAB_PATH = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 """Path to the root directory of the Isaac Lab repository."""
 
-DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 200
+DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 300
 """The default timeout for each test in seconds."""
 
 PER_TEST_TIMEOUTS = {
     "test_articulation.py": 500,
-    "test_rigid_object.py": 300,
+    "test_rigid_object.py": 500,
     "test_stage_in_memory.py": 500,
     "test_environments.py": 2000,  # This test runs through all the environments for 100 steps each
     "test_environments_with_stage_in_memory.py": (
         1000
     ),  # Like the above, with stage in memory and with and without fabric cloning
     "test_environment_determinism.py": 500,  # This test runs through many the environments for 100 steps each
-    "test_factory_environments.py": 300,  # This test runs through Factory environments for 100 steps each
-    "test_env_rendering_logic.py": 300,
-    "test_multi_tiled_camera": 300,
+    "test_factory_environments.py": 500,  # This test runs through Factory environments for 100 steps each
+    "test_env_rendering_logic.py": 500,
+    "test_multi_tiled_camera": 500,
     "test_generate_dataset.py": 500,  # This test runs annotation for 10 demos and generation until one succeeds
-    "test_operational_space.py": 300,
+    "test_operational_space.py": 500,
     "test_environments_training.py": 5000,
+    "test_simulation_render_config.py": 500,
 }
 """A dictionary of tests and their timeouts in seconds.