Repository: pytorch
Issue: Sparse tensor not supported (Minkowski Engine)
Labels: oncall: jit


### SparseTensor' object is not iterable

- I have a pytorch model trained on Minkowski Engine  library and i want to deploy this model on torchserve.I am facing issues while converting '.pth' model to the serialized '.pt' model.
- python enviornment - 
1. python 3.7, pytorch 1.8, Minkowski Engine (0.4.3) [https://github.com/NVIDIA/MinkowskiEngine]
2. python 3.8, pythorch 1.10, Minkowski Engine 0.5.4
Tried on both these enviornments, got same following issue.
- preprocessing used in input file :
`preprocessed_data = ME.SparseTensor(features, coordinates)`

- I used torch.jit functions to convert the model into serialized form, but i am getting errors due to sparse tensor class of minkowski engine dependency in model. 

### Error logs

I used various methods for converting '.pth' model to '.pt' serialized model.
1. torch.jit.trace, got following error :
`Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "model_pt_converter.py", line 65, in <module>
    traced_script_module = torch.jit.trace(model, preprocessed_data)
  File "/home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/lib/python3.7/site-packages/torch/jit/_trace.py", line 750, in trace
    _module_class,
  File "/home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/lib/python3.7/site-packages/torch/jit/_trace.py", line 941, in trace_module
    example_inputs = make_tuple(example_inputs)
  File "/home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/lib/python3.7/site-packages/torch/jit/_trace.py", line 542, in make_tuple
    return tuple(example_inputs)
TypeError: 'SparseTensor' object is not iterable`

2. using torch.jit.script, 
`torch.jit.frontend.UnsupportedNodeError: global variables aren't supported:`
`SparseTensor.__init__' is being compiled since it was called from '__torch__.SparseTensor.SparseTensor`
`__torch__.SparseTensor.SparseTensor' is being compiled since it was called from 'MinkowskiConvolution.forward`


3. I also tried to serve the .pth model directly, the model is not getting loaded throwing following issues - 
 ` Load model failed: s2b-model, error: Worker died`
`error: unrecognized arguments: --sock-type unix --sock-name /tmp/.ts.sock.9002`
`java.lang.InterruptedException: null`I have a pytorch model trained on Minkowski Engine  library and i want to deploy this model on torchserve.I am facing issues while converting '.pth' model to the serialized '.pt' model.
python enviornment - 
1. python 3.7, pytorch 1.8, Minkowski Engine (0.4.3) [https://github.com/NVIDIA/MinkowskiEngine]
2. python 3.8, pythorch 1.10, Minkowski Engine 0.5.4
Tried on both these enviornments, got same following issue.
preprocessing used in input file :
`preprocessed_data = ME.SparseTensor(features, coordinates)`

- I used various methods for converting '.pth' model to '.pt' serialized model.
1. torch.jit.trace, got following error :
`Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "model_pt_converter.py", line 65, in <module>
    traced_script_module = torch.jit.trace(model, preprocessed_data)
  File "/home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/lib/python3.7/site-packages/torch/jit/_trace.py", line 750, in trace
    _module_class,
  File "/home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/lib/python3.7/site-packages/torch/jit/_trace.py", line 941, in trace_module
    example_inputs = make_tuple(example_inputs)
  File "/home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/lib/python3.7/site-packages/torch/jit/_trace.py", line 542, in make_tuple
    return tuple(example_inputs)
TypeError: 'SparseTensor' object is not iterable`

2. using torch.jit.script, 
`torch.jit.frontend.UnsupportedNodeError: global variables aren't supported:`
`SparseTensor.__init__' is being compiled since it was called from '__torch__.SparseTensor.SparseTensor`
`__torch__.SparseTensor.SparseTensor' is being compiled since it was called from 'MinkowskiConvolution.forward`


3. I also tried to serve the .pth model directly, the model is not getting loaded throwing following issues - 
 ` Load model failed: s2b-model, error: Worker died`
`error: unrecognized arguments: --sock-type unix --sock-name /tmp/.ts.sock.9002`
`java.lang.InterruptedException: null`

### Installation instructions

- Installed torchserve using pip and pytorch using conda.
- Didn't used docker image.



### Versions

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environment headers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Torchserve branch: 

torchserve==0.7.0
torch-model-archiver==0.7.0

Python version: 3.7 (64-bit runtime)
Python executable: /home/vinayak/miniconda3/envs/serve/bin/python

Versions of relevant python libraries:
future==0.18.2
numpy==1.21.5
nvgpu==0.9.0
psutil==5.9.4
requests==2.28.1
torch==1.8.2
torch-model-archiver==0.7.0
torch-workflow-archiver==0.2.6
torchaudio==0.8.2
torchserve==0.7.0
torchvision==0.13.1a0
wheel==0.37.1
torch==1.8.2
**Warning: torchtext not present ..
torchvision==0.13.1a0
torchaudio==0.8.2

Java Version:


OS: Pop!_OS 20.04 LTS
GCC version: (Ubuntu 9.4.0-1ubuntu1~20.04.1) 9.4.0
Clang version: N/A
CMake version: N/A


cc @EikanWang @jgong5 @wenzhe-nrv @sanchitintel