Lightning-AI / Lightning-AI/pytorch-lightning

combined_loader: concatenating inputs

Open
#17,804 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

data handling feature
Dominant language
Python
Stars
31.4k
Forks
3.8k
Avg merge
6d 7h
Merged PRs (30d)
6

Description

### Description & Motivation

Application: using the combined data loader with two datasets of the same format
Suggestion: option for concatenating the data + labels in the combined loader
Motivation: currently one has to edit model code when data source is changed -> very unelegant solution and likely leads to errors!
Comment: Maybe I just did not understand the documentation right. if so please improve the documentation. :-)

currently I use:

```
iterables = {"dataset1": dataloader1, "dataset2": dataloader2}
combined_loader = CombinedLoader(iterables, mode="min_size")

```
and have to unpack the data in the models training step using:

```
def training_step(self,batch,batch_idx):
#batch1,batch2 = batch
x = torch.concat([batch['dataset1'][0],batch['dataset2'][0]])
y = torch.concat([batch['dataset1'][1],batch['dataset2'][1]])

```

### Pitch

It would be great to have something like this (example for regression tasks on images):
```
dataloader1 = DataLoader(..., batch_size = b1)
dataloader2 = DataLoader(..., batch_size = b2)

iterables = {"dataset1": dataloader1, "dataset2": dataloader2}
combined_loader = CombinedLoader(iterables, mode = 'min_size', operation = 'concat')
x,y = next(iter(combined_loader)
# x.shape = [b1+b2,h,w,c]
# y.shape = [b1+b2]

```

### Alternatives

_No response_

### Additional context

_No response_

cc @borda @justusschock @awaelchli

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the CombinedLoader API and its current min_size behavior, then compare it with the shown training_step concatenation and proposed next(iter(combined_loader)) result. Done means the requested operation is clearly defined and the combined loader can produce concatenated data and labels for the two same-format datasets without model-side unpacking.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python, pytorch
Domain
data
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
30/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.