I would like to be able plot the training loss per batch and the average validation loss for the validation set on the same plot in Tensorboard. I ran into this issue when my validation set was too large to fit into memory so required batching and the use of tf.metrics update ops.

tf.metrics

This question could apply to any Tensorflow metrics you wanted to appear on the same graph in Tensorboard.

I am able to

train_summ

In the example code below, my issue stems from the fact that my validation summary tf.summary.scalar with name=loss gets renamed to loss_1 and thus is moved to a separate graph in Tensorboard. From what I can work out Tensorboard takes "same name" and plots them on the same graph, regardless of what folder they are in. This is frustrating as train_summ (name=loss) is only ever written to the train folder and valid_summ (name=loss) is only ever written to the valid folder - but is still renamed to loss_1.

tf.summary.scalar

name=loss

loss_1

train_summ

train

valid_summ

valid

loss_1

The example code:

# View graphs with (Linux): $ tensorboard --logdir=/tmp/my_tf_model

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np
import os
import tempfile

def train_data_gen():
yield np.random.normal(size=[3]), np.array([0.5, 0.5, 0.5])

def valid_data_gen():
yield np.random.normal(size=[3]), np.array([0.8, 0.8, 0.8])

batch_size = 25
n_training_batches = 4
n_valid_batches = 2
n_epochs = 5
summary_loc = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), 'my_tf_model')
print("Summaries written to" + summary_loc)

# Dummy data
train_data = tf.data.Dataset.from_generator(train_data_gen, (tf.float32, tf.float32)).repeat().batch(batch_size)
valid_data = tf.data.Dataset.from_generator(valid_data_gen, (tf.float32, tf.float32)).repeat().batch(batch_size)
handle = tf.placeholder(tf.string, shape=)
iterator = tf.data.Iterator.from_string_handle(handle,
train_data.output_types, train_data.output_shapes)
batch_x, batch_y = iterator.get_next()
train_iter = train_data.make_initializable_iterator()
valid_iter = valid_data.make_initializable_iterator()

# Some ops on the data
loss = tf.losses.mean_squared_error(batch_x, batch_y)
valid_loss, valid_loss_update = tf.metrics.mean(loss)

# Write to summaries
train_summ = tf.summary.scalar('loss', loss)
valid_summ = tf.summary.scalar('loss', valid_loss) # <- will be renamed to "loss_1"

with tf.Session() as sess:
sess.run(tf.global_variables_initializer())
train_handle, valid_handle = sess.run([train_iter.string_handle(), valid_iter.string_handle()])
sess.run([train_iter.initializer, valid_iter.initializer])

# Summary writers
writer_train = tf.summary.FileWriter(os.path.join(summary_loc, 'train'), sess.graph)
writer_valid = tf.summary.FileWriter(os.path.join(summary_loc, 'valid'), sess.graph)

global_step = 0 # implicit as no actual training
for i in range(n_epochs):
# "Training"
for j in range(n_training_batches):
global_step += 1
summ = sess.run(train_summ, feed_dict={handle: train_handle})
writer_train.add_summary(summary=summ, global_step=global_step)
# "Validation"
sess.run(tf.local_variables_initializer())
for j in range(n_valid_batches):
_, batch_summ = sess.run([valid_loss_update, train_summ], feed_dict={handle: valid_handle})
# The following will plot the batch loss for the validation set on the loss plot with the training data:
# writer_valid.add_summary(summary=batch_summ, global_step=global_step + j + 1)
summ = sess.run(valid_summ)
writer_valid.add_summary(summary=summ, global_step=global_step) # <- I want this on the training loss graph


tf.summary.FileWriter

tf.summary.merge

tf.summary.scalar

family

loss

loss_1

valid_loss, valid_loss_update = tf.metrics.mean(loss)

tf.local_variables_initializer()

By clicking "Post Your Answer", you acknowledge that you have read our updated terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy, and that your continued use of the website is subject to these policies.