Defaults to kit rendering settings if --enable_cameras is not selected (#349)

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If the launcher argument `enable_cameras` is not selected, then change
the default rendering mode behavior to just use the default kit
rendering settings.

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

- [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
- [ ] I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my
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- [x] I have updated the changelog and the corresponding version in the
extension's `config/extension.toml` file
- [ ] I have added my name to the `CONTRIBUTORS.md` or my name already
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---------
Co-authored-by: Kelly Guo <kellyguo123@hotmail.com>

docs/source/how-to/configure_rendering.rst

 Configuring Rendering Settings
 ==============================
 
-Isaac Lab offers 3 preset rendering modes: performance, balanced, and quality.
+Isaac Lab offers 4 preset rendering modes: performance, balanced, quality, and xr.
 You can select a mode via a command line argument or from within a script, and customize settings as needed.
 Adjust and fine-tune rendering to achieve the ideal balance for your workflow.
 
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ Rendering modes can be selected in 2 ways.
      # scripts/tutorials/00_sim/set_rendering_mode.py
      render_cfg = sim_utils.RenderCfg(rendering_mode="performance")
 
+Note, the ``rendering_mode`` defaults to ``balanced``.
+However, in the case where the launcher argument ``--enable_cameras`` is not set, then
+the default ``rendering_mode`` is not applied and, instead, the default kit rendering settings are used.
+
 Example renders from the ``set_rendering_mode.py`` script.
 To help assess rendering, the example scene includes some reflections, translucency, direct and ambient lighting, and several material types.
 

source/isaaclab/config/extension.toml

 [package]
 
 # Note: Semantic Versioning is used: https://semver.org/
-version = "0.36.17"
+version = "0.36.18"
 
 # Description
 title = "Isaac Lab framework for Robot Learning"

source/isaaclab/docs/CHANGELOG.rst

 Changelog
 ---------
 
-0.36.17 (2025-04-09)
+0.36.18 (2025-04-09)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Changed
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Changed
   the cuda device, which results in NCCL errors on distributed setups.
 
 
-0.36.16 (2025-04-01)
+0.36.17 (2025-04-01)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Fixed
@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ Fixed
 * Added check in RecorderManager to ensure that the success indicator is only set if the termination manager is present.
 
 
+0.36.16 (2025-03-25)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Changed
+^^^^^^^
+
+* Modified rendering mode default behavior when the launcher arg :attr:`enable_cameras` is not set.
+
+
 0.36.15 (2025-03-25)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/app/app_launcher.py

@@ -317,7 +317,6 @@ class AppLauncher:
             "--rendering_mode",
             type=str,
             action=ExplicitAction,
-            default="balanced",
             choices={"performance", "balanced", "quality", "xr"},
             help=(
                 "Sets the rendering mode. Preset settings files can be found in apps/rendering_modes."
@@ -850,7 +849,15 @@ class AppLauncher:
         import carb
         from isaacsim.core.utils.carb import set_carb_setting
 
-        rendering_mode = launcher_args.get("rendering_mode", "balanced")
+        rendering_mode = launcher_args.get("rendering_mode")
+
+        # 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:
+            return
+
+        # default to balanced mode
+        if rendering_mode is None:
+            rendering_mode = "balanced"
 
         rendering_mode_explicitly_passed = launcher_args.pop("rendering_mode_explicit", False)
         if self._xr and not rendering_mode_explicitly_passed:

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/sim/simulation_context.py

@@ -305,10 +305,9 @@ class SimulationContext(_SimulationContext):
             preset_dict = dict(flatdict.FlatDict(preset_dict, delimiter="."))
 
             # set presets
-            carb_setting = carb.settings.get_settings()
             for key, value in preset_dict.items():
                 key = "/" + key.replace(".", "/")  # convert to carb setting format
-                set_carb_setting(carb_setting, key, value)
+                set_carb_setting(self.carb_settings, key, value)
 
         # set user-friendly named settings
         for key, value in vars(self.cfg.render).items():