Fix Newton GL Pause Rendering desync and document Rerun Play/Pause limitation

docs/source/overview/core-concepts/visualization.rst

@@ -758,6 +758,15 @@ the num of environments can be overwritten and decreased using ``--num_envs``:
 The FPS control in the Rerun visualizer UI may not affect the visualization frame rate in all configurations.
 
 
+**Rerun Visualizer Play/Pause Timeline Controls**
+
+The native Play/Pause timeline controls in the Rerun visualizer UI do not work while visualizing a live
+simulation or training run. They are hidden by default, but Rerun's dock panel UI can still be used to reveal
+them; when revealed, clicking them has no effect. Use Isaac Lab's own **Pause Rendering** / **Reset Episode**
+controls (ImGui sidebar, under **IsaacLab Controls**) to control the live view instead. The timeline controls
+are only meaningful when replaying a saved ``.rrd`` recording (see above).
+
+
 **Newton Contact Visualization**
 
 Newton's native ``Show Contacts`` view can show all contacts from the Newton physics contact buffer. When running

source/isaaclab_visualizers/changelog.d/fix-newton-gl-pause-rendering-space-sync.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+Fixed
+^^^^^
+
+* Fixed the Newton GL visualizer's "Pause Rendering" button not reflecting the paused
+  state after pressing :kbd:`Space`. Both controls now toggle the same underlying flag, so
+  the button label and :meth:`~isaaclab_visualizers.newton.newton_visualizer.NewtonViewerGL.is_rendering_paused`
+  stay in sync regardless of whether rendering was paused via the button or the keyboard shortcut.
+  Also clarified the on-screen control hint from "Space - Pause/Resume" to "Space - Pause/Resume
+  Rendering".

source/isaaclab_visualizers/isaaclab_visualizers/newton/newton_visualizer.py

@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ def _render_left_panel(_g=gui):
                 imgui.text("Ctrl + Middle Click - Dolly")
                 imgui.text("Scroll - Dolly")
                 imgui.text("Ctrl + Scroll - FOV zoom")
-                imgui.text("Space - Pause/Resume")
+                imgui.text("Space - Pause/Resume Rendering")
                 imgui.text(". - Step one frame (when paused)")
                 imgui.text("H - Toggle UI")
                 imgui.text("F - Frame camera around model")
@@ -487,11 +487,13 @@ def _render_training_controls(self, imgui):
 
         # Pause/Resume Rendering is not exposed on RTX: stopping end_frame() would
         # freeze the imgui, and OVRTX naturally converges when the scene is paused.
+        # ``self._paused`` (not a separately tracked flag) is the single source of truth here
+        # because the Newton viewer's own Space key handler toggles it directly, bypassing this
+        # button; mirroring a separate flag would let the button state drift out of sync with Space.
         if not isinstance(self, NewtonViewerRTX):
-            rendering_label = "Resume Rendering" if self._paused_rendering else "Pause Rendering"
+            rendering_label = "Resume Rendering" if self._paused else "Pause Rendering"
             if imgui.button(rendering_label):
-                self._paused_rendering = not self._paused_rendering
-                self._paused = self._paused_rendering
+                self._paused = not self._paused
 
         if imgui.button("Reset Episode"):
             self._reset_requested = True
@@ -733,7 +735,6 @@ def __init__(self, *args, metadata: dict | None = None, update_frequency: int =
         """
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self._paused_training = False
-        self._paused_rendering = False
         self._reset_requested = False
         self._metadata = metadata or {}
         self._update_frequency = update_frequency
@@ -763,8 +764,12 @@ def is_training_paused(self) -> bool:
         return self._paused_training
 
     def is_rendering_paused(self) -> bool:
-        """Return whether rendering is paused by viewer controls."""
-        return self._paused_rendering
+        """Return whether rendering is paused by viewer controls.
+
+        Mirrors ``self._paused`` directly since the Newton viewer's Space key handler toggles it
+        in-place, outside the Isaac Lab "Pause Rendering" button.
+        """
+        return self._paused
 
     def on_key_press(self, symbol, modifiers):
         """Forward key presses unless UI is currently capturing input."""

source/isaaclab_visualizers/test/test_newton_adapter.py

@@ -292,6 +292,54 @@ def test_newton_viewer_camera_speed_setter_validates(monkeypatch):
         viewer.camera_speed = -1.0
 
 
+class _FakeTrainingControlsImgui:
+    """Minimal imgui double that drives ``_render_training_controls`` by label."""
+
+    def __init__(self, clicked_label: str | None = None):
+        self._clicked_label = clicked_label
+
+    def button(self, label):
+        return label == self._clicked_label
+
+    def text(self, _text):
+        pass
+
+    def slider_int(self, _label, value, _min_value, _max_value, _format):
+        return False, value
+
+    def is_item_hovered(self):
+        return False
+
+    def set_tooltip(self, _text):
+        pass
+
+
+def test_newton_gl_viewer_rendering_pause_state_stays_in_sync_with_space_key():
+    """Space toggles ``_paused`` directly (Newton's own key handler); the "Pause Rendering"
+    button and ``is_rendering_paused()`` must reflect that instead of a separately tracked flag,
+    or the UI desyncs from the actual paused state that gates rendering.
+    """
+    viewer = NewtonViewerGL.__new__(NewtonViewerGL)
+    viewer._paused = False
+    viewer._paused_training = False
+    viewer._reset_requested = False
+    viewer._update_frequency = 1
+
+    assert viewer.is_rendering_paused() is False
+
+    # Simulate Newton's own Space key handler (newton/_src/viewer/viewer_gui.py), which
+    # toggles ``_paused`` directly and bypasses the Isaac Lab "Pause Rendering" button.
+    viewer._paused = not viewer._paused
+
+    assert viewer.is_rendering_paused() is True
+    viewer._render_training_controls(_FakeTrainingControlsImgui())  # must not raise: no click
+
+    # The button must read the post-Space state and toggle it back correctly.
+    resume_click = _FakeTrainingControlsImgui(clicked_label="Resume Rendering")
+    viewer._render_training_controls(resume_click)
+    assert viewer.is_rendering_paused() is False
+
+
 def test_newton_viewer_particle_color_override(monkeypatch):
     from newton.viewer import ViewerGL