return 0;
The Invisible Safety Net: A Deep Dive into SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump
Implementing this function isn't automatic; developers typically hook it into Windows' Structured Exception Handling (SEH). By using a function like _set_se_translator , a developer can tell the game: "If you're about to crash, call SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump first". The Function Signature
// Install the SE translator before anything else _set_se_translator(MiniDumpFunction); SteamAPI WriteMiniDump
Dumps are uploaded to your Steamworks dashboard under Reports > Crash Reports . 2. Basic Syntax The function signature in steam_api.h is:
: The exception code (e.g., EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION ).
The function only writes the file locally. To get these files from your users, you need to build a small post-crash launcher utility that checks for .dmp files on startup and prompts the user to upload them to your back-end server or bug tracker. return 0; The Invisible Safety Net: A Deep
: A pointer to the EXCEPTION_POINTERS structure, which contains the processor context and exception record.
Without SEH, unhandled exceptions bypass your crash handler entirely. In Visual Studio, navigate to Project Properties → Configuration Properties → C/C++ → Code Generation → Enable C++ Exceptions. Choose "Yes With SEH (/EHa)" to catch both C++ and structured exceptions.
: The exact sequence of function calls leading to the crash. To get these files from your users, you
: Steam’s backend typically only starts showing detailed crash data after at least 10 similar exceptions have been reported to prevent noise.
Add additional context to the dump, such as user-specific actions taken before the crash or custom game state, before calling WriteMiniDump .
If you want to customize your crash tracking workflow, let me know:
: This function currently only supports 32-bit Windows . For 64-bit applications or other operating systems, developers often use Google Breakpad or Crashpad and manually upload dumps.