Converting a Model Using General Conversion Parameters

To simply convert a model trained by any supported framework, run the Model Optimizer launch script mo.py with specifying a path to the input model file:

python3 mo.py --input_model INPUT_MODEL

NOTE: Model Optimizer doesn't revert input channels from RGB to BGR by default as it was in 2017 R3 Beta release. The command line parameter --reverse_input_channels should be specified manually to perform reversion. For details, refer to When to Reverse Input Channels

To adjust the conversion process, you can also use the general (framework-agnostic) parameters:

optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--framework {tf,caffe,mxnet,kaldi,onnx}
Name of the framework used to train the input model.
Framework-agnostic parameters:
--input_model INPUT_MODEL, -w INPUT_MODEL, -m INPUT_MODEL
Tensorflow*: a file with a pre-trained model (binary
or text .pb file after freezing). Caffe*: a model
proto file with model weights
--model_name MODEL_NAME, -n MODEL_NAME
Model_name parameter passed to the final create_ir
transform. This parameter is used to name a network in
a generated IR and output .xml/.bin files.
--output_dir OUTPUT_DIR, -o OUTPUT_DIR
Directory that stores the generated IR. By default, it
is the directory from where the Model Optimizer is
launched.
--input_shape INPUT_SHAPE
Input shape(s) that should be fed to an input node(s)
of the model. Shape is defined as a comma-separated
list of integer numbers enclosed in parentheses or
square brackets, for example [1,3,227,227] or
(1,227,227,3), where the order of dimensions depends
on the framework input layout of the model. For
example, [N,C,H,W] is used for Caffe* models and
[N,H,W,C] for TensorFlow* models. Model Optimizer
performs necessary transformations to convert the
shape to the layout required by Inference Engine
(N,C,H,W). The shape should not contain undefined
dimensions (? or -1) and should fit the dimensions
defined in the input operation of the graph. If there
are multiple inputs in the model, --input_shape should
contain definition of shape for each input separated
by a comma, for example: [1,3,227,227],[2,4] for a
model with two inputs with 4D and 2D shapes.
--scale SCALE, -s SCALE
All input values coming from original network inputs
will be divided by this value. When a list of inputs
is overridden by the --input parameter, this scale is
not applied for any input that does not match with the
original input of the model.
--reverse_input_channels
Switch the input channels order from RGB to BGR (or
vice versa). Applied to original inputs of the model
if and only if a number of channels equals 3. Applied
after application of --mean_values and --scale_values
options, so numbers in --mean_values and
--scale_values go in the order of channels used in the
original model.
--log_level {CRITICAL,ERROR,WARN,WARNING,INFO,DEBUG,NOTSET}
Logger level
--input INPUT The name of the input operation of the given model.
Usually this is a name of the input placeholder of the
model.
--output OUTPUT The name of the output operation of the model. For
TensorFlow*, do not add :0 to this name.
--mean_values MEAN_VALUES, -ms MEAN_VALUES
Mean values to be used for the input image per
channel. Values to be provided in the (R,G,B) or
[R,G,B] format. Can be defined for desired input of
the model, for example: "--mean_values
data[255,255,255],info[255,255,255]". The exact
meaning and order of channels depend on how the
original model was trained.
--scale_values SCALE_VALUES
Scale values to be used for the input image per
channel. Values are provided in the (R,G,B) or [R,G,B]
format. Can be defined for desired input of the model,
for example: "--scale_values
data[255,255,255],info[255,255,255]". The exact
meaning and order of channels depend on how the
original model was trained.
--data_type {FP16,FP32,half,float}
Data type for all intermediate tensors and weights. If
original model is in FP32 and --data_type=FP16 is
specified, all model weights and biases are quantized
to FP16.
--disable_fusing Turn off fusing of linear operations to Convolution
--disable_resnet_optimization
Turn off resnet optimization
--finegrain_fusing FINEGRAIN_FUSING
Regex for layers/operations that won't be fused.
Example: --finegrain_fusing Convolution1,.*Scale.*
--disable_gfusing Turn off fusing of grouped convolutions
--move_to_preprocess Move mean values to IR preprocess section
--extensions EXTENSIONS
Directory or a comma separated list of directories
with extensions. To disable all extensions including
those that are placed at the default location, pass an
empty string.
--batch BATCH, -b BATCH
Input batch size
--version Version of Model Optimizer
--silent Prevent any output messages except those that
correspond to log level equals ERROR, that can be set
with the following option: --log_level. By default,
log level is already ERROR.
--freeze_placeholder_with_value FREEZE_PLACEHOLDER_WITH_VALUE
Replaces input layer with constant node with provided
value, e.g.: "node_name->True"
--generate_deprecated_IR_V2
Force to generate legacy/deprecated IR V2 to work with
previous versions of the Inference Engine. The
resulting IR may or may not be correctly loaded by
Inference Engine API (including the most recent and
old versions of Inference Engine) and provided as a
partially-validated backup option for specific
deployment scenarios. Use it at your own discretion.
By default, without this option, the Model Optimizer
generates IR V3.
--keep_shape_ops [ Experimental feature ] Enables `Shape` operation
with all children keeping. This feature makes model
reshapable in Inference Engine

The sections below provide details on using particular parameters and examples of CLI commands.

When to Specify Mean and Scale Values

Usually neural network models are trained with the normalized input data. This means that the input data values are converted to be in a specific range, for example, [0, 1] or [-1, 1]. Sometimes the mean values (mean images) are subtracted from the input data values as part of the pre-processing. There are two cases how the input data pre-processing is implemented.

In the first case, the Model Optimizer generates the IR with required pre-processing layers and Inference Engine samples may be used to infer the model.

In the second case, information about mean/scale values should be provided to the Model Optimizer to embed it to the generated IR. Model Optimizer provides a number of command line parameters to specify them: --scale, --scale_values, --mean_values, --mean_file.

If both mean and scale values are specified, the mean is subtracted first and then scale is applied. Input values are divided by the scale value(s).

There is no a universal recipe for determining the mean/scale values for a particular model. The steps below could help to determine them:

When to Specify Input Shapes

There are situations when the input data shape for the model is not fixed, like for the fully-convolutional neural networks. In this case, for example, TensorFlow* models contain -1 values in the shape attribute of the Placeholder operation. Inference Engine does not support input layers with undefined size, so if the input shapes are not defined in the model, the Model Optimizer fails to convert the model. The solution is to provide the input shape(s) using the --input_shape command line parameter for all input(s) of the model or provide the batch size using the -b command line parameter if the model contains just one input with undefined batch size only. In the latter case, the Placeholder shape for the TensorFlow* model looks like this [-1, 224, 224, 3].

When to Reverse Input Channels

Inference Engine samples load input images in BGR channels order. However, the model may be trained on images loaded with the RGB channels order (for example, most TensorFlow* models are trained with images in RGB order). In this case, inference results using the Inference Engine samples will be incorrect. The solution is to provide --reverse_input_channels command line parameter. Then the Model Optimizer performs first convolution or other channel dependent operation weights modification so these operations output will be like the image is passed with RGB channels order.

When to Specify --keep_shape_ops Command Line Parameter

The --keep_shape_ops is an experimental command line parameter, so the model conversion may fail if it is specified.

By default, the Model Optimizer evaluates shapes of all operations in the model (shape propagation) for a fixed input(s) shape(s). During the shape propagation the Model Optimizer evaluates operations Shape and removes them from the computation graph. With that approach, the initial model which can consume inputs of different shapes may be converted to IR working with the input of one fixed shape only. For example, consider the case when some blob is reshaped from 4D of a shape [N, C, H, W] to a shape [N, C, H * W]. During the model conversion the Model Optimize calculates output shape as a constant 1D blob with values [N, C, H * W]. So if the input shape changes to some other value [N,C,H1,W1] (it is possible scenario for a fully convolutional model) then the reshape layer becomes invalid.

If the --keep_shape_ops command line parameter is specified then the Model Optimizer keeps Shape operations in the model and inserts additional layers to convert the graph layout from NHWC to NCHW layout if necessary.

Examples of CLI Commands

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with debug log level:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --log_level DEBUG

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with the output IR called result.* in the specified output_dir:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --model_name result --output_dir /../../models/

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with one input with scale values:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --scale_values [59,59,59]

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with multiple inputs with scale values:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --input data,rois --scale_values [59,59,59],[5,5,5]

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with multiple inputs with scale and mean values specified for the particular nodes:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --input data,rois --mean_values data[59,59,59] --scale_values rois[5,5,5]

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with specified input layer, overridden input shape, scale 5, batch 8 and specified name of an output operation:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --input data --input_shape [1,3,224,224] --output pool5 -s 5 -b 8

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with disabled fusing for linear operations to Convolution and grouped convolutions:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --disable_fusing --disable_gfusing

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with reversed input channels order between RGB and BGR, specified mean values to be used for the input image per channel and specified data type for input tensor values:

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --reverse_input_channels --mean_values [255,255,255] --data_type FP16

Launch the Model Optimizer for the Caffe bvlc_alexnet model with extensions listed in specified directories, specified mean_images binaryproto. file For more information about extensions, please refer to this page.

python3 mo.py --input_model bvlc_alexnet.caffemodel --extensions /home/,/some/other/path/ --mean_file /path/to/binaryproto

Launch the Model Optimizer for TensorFlow* FaceNet* model with a placeholder freezing value. It replaces the placeholder with a constant layer that contains the passed value. For more information about FaceNet conversion, please refer to this page

python3 mo.py --input_model FaceNet.pb --freeze_placeholder_with_value "phase_train->False"

Launch the Model Optimizer for any model with a placeholder freezing tensor of values. It replaces the placeholder with a constant layer that contains the passed values.

Tensor here is represented in square brackets with each value separated from another by a whitespace. If data type is set in the model, this tensor will be reshaped to a placeholder shape and casted to placeholder data type. Otherwise, it will be casted to data type passed to --data_type parameter (by default, it is FP32).

python3 mo.py --input_model FaceNet.pb --freeze_placeholder_with_value "placeholder_layer_name->[0.1 1.2 2.3]"