Update

[ghstack-poisoned]

docs/source/distributed.rst

@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ Although the call to :obj:`rpc.rpc_sync` involved passing the entire tensordict,
 updating specific indices of this object and return it to the original worker,
 the execution of this snippet is extremely fast (even more so if the reference
 to the memory location is already passed beforehand, see `torchrl's distributed
-replay buffer documentation <https://github.com/pytorch/rl/blob/main/examples/distributed/distributed_replay_buffer.py>`_ to learn more).
+replay buffer documentation <https://github.com/pytorch/rl/blob/main/examples/distributed/replay_buffers/distributed_replay_buffer.py>`_ to learn more).
 
 The script contains additional RPC configuration steps that are beyond the
 purpose of this document.

docs/source/reference/tensorclass.rst

@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ Here is an example:
     TensorClass
     NonTensorData
     NonTensorStack
+    from_dataclass
 
 Auto-casting
 ------------

tensordict/__init__.py

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 from tensordict.memmap import MemoryMappedTensor
 from tensordict.persistent import PersistentTensorDict
 from tensordict.tensorclass import (
+    from_dataclass,
     NonTensorData,
     NonTensorStack,
     tensorclass,

tensordict/_lazy.py

@@ -329,15 +329,38 @@ def _reduce_get_metadata(self):
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(
         cls,
-        input_dict,
+        input_dict: List[Dict[NestedKey, Any]],
+        *other,
+        auto_batch_size: bool = False,
         batch_size=None,
         device=None,
         batch_dims=None,
         stack_dim_name=None,
         stack_dim=0,
     ):
+        # if batch_size is not None:
+        #     batch_size = list(batch_size)
+        #     if stack_dim is None:
+        #         stack_dim = 0
+        #     n = batch_size.pop(stack_dim)
+        #     if n != len(input_dict):
+        #         raise ValueError(
+        #             "The number of dicts and the corresponding batch-size must match, "
+        #             f"got len(input_dict)={len(input_dict)} and batch_size[{stack_dim}]={n}."
+        #         )
+        #     batch_size = torch.Size(batch_size)
         return LazyStackedTensorDict(
-            *(input_dict[str(i)] for i in range(len(input_dict))),
+            *(
+                TensorDict.from_dict(
+                    input_dict[str(i)],
+                    *other,
+                    auto_batch_size=auto_batch_size,
+                    device=device,
+                    batch_dims=batch_dims,
+                    batch_size=batch_size,
+                )
+                for i in range(len(input_dict))
+            ),
             stack_dim=stack_dim,
             stack_dim_name=stack_dim_name,
         )

tensordict/_td.py

@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ def __ne__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other != self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ def __xor__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other ^ self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ def __or__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other | self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ def __eq__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other == self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ def __ge__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other <= self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ def __gt__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other < self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ def __le__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other >= self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ def __lt__(self, other: object) -> T | bool:
         if is_tensorclass(other):
             return other > self
         if isinstance(other, (dict,)):
-            other = self.from_dict_instance(other)
+            other = self.from_dict_instance(other, auto_batch_size=False)
         if _is_tensor_collection(type(other)):
             keys1 = set(self.keys())
             keys2 = set(other.keys())
@@ -1957,8 +1957,46 @@ def _unsqueeze(tensor):
 
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(
-        cls, input_dict, batch_size=None, device=None, batch_dims=None, names=None
+        cls,
+        input_dict,
+        *others,
+        auto_batch_size: bool | None = None,
+        batch_size=None,
+        device=None,
+        batch_dims=None,
+        names=None,
     ):
+        if others:
+            if batch_size is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting batch size values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            if device is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting device values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            if batch_dims is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting batch_dims values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            if names is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting names values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            warn(
+                "All positional arguments after filename will be deprecated in v0.8. Please use keyword arguments instead.",
+                category=DeprecationWarning,
+            )
+            batch_size, *others = others
+            if len(others):
+                device, *others = others
+                if len(others):
+                    batch_dims, *others = others
+                    if len(others):
+                        names, *others = others
+                        if len(others):
+                            raise TypeError("Too many positional arguments.")
+
         if batch_dims is not None and batch_size is not None:
             raise ValueError(
                 "Cannot pass both batch_size and batch_dims to `from_dict`."
@@ -1967,12 +2005,12 @@ def from_dict(
         batch_size_set = torch.Size(()) if batch_size is None else batch_size
         input_dict = dict(input_dict)
         for key, value in list(input_dict.items()):
-            if isinstance(value, (dict,)):
-                # we don't know if another tensor of smaller size is coming
-                # so we can't be sure that the batch-size will still be valid later
-                input_dict[key] = TensorDict.from_dict(
-                    value, batch_size=[], device=device, batch_dims=None
-                )
+            # we don't know if another tensor of smaller size is coming
+            # so we can't be sure that the batch-size will still be valid later
+            input_dict[key] = TensorDict.from_any(
+                value,
+                auto_batch_size=False,
+            )
         # regular __init__ breaks because a tensor may have the same batch-size as the tensordict
         out = cls(
             input_dict,
@@ -1981,7 +2019,19 @@ def from_dict(
             names=names,
         )
         if batch_size is None:
-            _set_max_batch_size(out, batch_dims)
+            if auto_batch_size is None and batch_dims is None:
+                warn(
+                    "The batch-size was not provided and auto_batch_size isn't set either. "
+                    "Currently, from_dict will call set auto_batch_size=True but this behaviour "
+                    "will be changed in v0.8 and auto_batch_size will be False onward. "
+                    "To silence this warning, pass auto_batch_size directly.",
+                    category=DeprecationWarning,
+                )
+                auto_batch_size = True
+            elif auto_batch_size is None:
+                auto_batch_size = True
+            if auto_batch_size:
+                _set_max_batch_size(out, batch_dims)
         else:
             out.batch_size = batch_size
         return out
@@ -1998,8 +2048,46 @@ def _from_dict_validated(
         )
 
     def from_dict_instance(
-        self, input_dict, batch_size=None, device=None, batch_dims=None, names=None
+        self,
+        input_dict,
+        *others,
+        auto_batch_size: bool | None = None,
+        batch_size=None,
+        device=None,
+        batch_dims=None,
+        names=None,
     ):
+        if others:
+            if batch_size is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting batch size values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            if device is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting device values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            if batch_dims is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting batch_dims values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            if names is not None:
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "conflicting names values. Please use the keyword argument only."
+                )
+            warn(
+                "All positional arguments after filename will be deprecated in v0.8. Please use keyword arguments instead.",
+                category=DeprecationWarning,
+            )
+            batch_size, *others = others
+            if len(others):
+                device, *others = others
+                if len(others):
+                    batch_dims, *others = others
+                    if len(others):
+                        names, *others = others
+                        if len(others):
+                            raise TypeError("Too many positional arguments.")
+
         if batch_dims is not None and batch_size is not None:
             raise ValueError(
                 "Cannot pass both batch_size and batch_dims to `from_dict`."
@@ -2014,22 +2102,45 @@ def from_dict_instance(
                 cur_value = self.get(key, None)
                 if cur_value is not None:
                     input_dict[key] = cur_value.from_dict_instance(
-                        value, batch_size=[], device=device, batch_dims=None
+                        value,
+                        device=device,
+                        auto_batch_size=False,
                     )
                     continue
-                # we don't know if another tensor of smaller size is coming
-                # so we can't be sure that the batch-size will still be valid later
-                input_dict[key] = TensorDict.from_dict(
-                    value, batch_size=[], device=device, batch_dims=None
+                else:
+                    # we don't know if another tensor of smaller size is coming
+                    # so we can't be sure that the batch-size will still be valid later
+                    input_dict[key] = TensorDict.from_dict(
+                        value,
+                        device=device,
+                        auto_batch_size=False,
+                    )
+            else:
+                input_dict[key] = TensorDict.from_any(
+                    value,
+                    auto_batch_size=False,
                 )
+
         out = TensorDict.from_dict(
             input_dict,
             batch_size=batch_size_set,
             device=device,
             names=names,
         )
         if batch_size is None:
-            _set_max_batch_size(out, batch_dims)
+            if auto_batch_size is None and batch_dims is None:
+                warn(
+                    "The batch-size was not provided and auto_batch_size isn't set either. "
+                    "Currently, from_dict will call set auto_batch_size=True but this behaviour "
+                    "will be changed in v0.8 and auto_batch_size will be False onward. "
+                    "To silence this warning, pass auto_batch_size directly.",
+                    category=DeprecationWarning,
+                )
+                auto_batch_size = True
+            elif auto_batch_size is None:
+                auto_batch_size = True
+            if auto_batch_size:
+                _set_max_batch_size(out, batch_dims)
         else:
             out.batch_size = batch_size
         return out
@@ -3857,7 +3968,14 @@ def expand(self, *args: int, inplace: bool = False) -> T:
 
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(
-        cls, input_dict, batch_size=None, device=None, batch_dims=None, names=None
+        cls,
+        input_dict,
+        *others,
+        auto_batch_size: bool = False,
+        batch_size=None,
+        device=None,
+        batch_dims=None,
+        names=None,
     ):
         raise NotImplementedError(f"from_dict not implemented for {cls.__name__}.")
 
@@ -4273,6 +4391,12 @@ def _items(
                 (key, tensordict._get_str(key, NO_DEFAULT))
                 for key in tensordict._source.keys()
             )
+        from tensordict.persistent import PersistentTensorDict
+
+        if isinstance(tensordict, PersistentTensorDict):
+            return (
+                (key, tensordict._get_str(key, NO_DEFAULT)) for key in tensordict.keys()
+            )
         raise NotImplementedError(type(tensordict))
 
     def _keys(self) -> _TensorDictKeysView:
@@ -4697,7 +4821,9 @@ def from_modules(
     )
 
 
-def from_dict(input_dict, batch_size=None, device=None, batch_dims=None, names=None):
+def from_dict(
+    input_dict, *others, batch_size=None, device=None, batch_dims=None, names=None
+):
     """Returns a TensorDict created from a dictionary or another :class:`~.tensordict.TensorDict`.
 
     If ``batch_size`` is not specified, returns the maximum batch size possible.
@@ -4762,6 +4888,7 @@ def from_dict(input_dict, batch_size=None, device=None, batch_dims=None, names=N
     """
     return TensorDict.from_dict(
         input_dict,
+        *others,
         batch_size=batch_size,
         device=device,
         batch_dims=batch_dims,