try
To effectively use SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump , developers generally register a custom unhandled exception filter when the game initializes. This ensures that any unhandled crash triggers the dump generation automatically.
Using SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump is crucial for several reasons:
Do not let your game simply crash. Use __try / __except blocks or SetUnhandledExceptionFilter to catch issues and call SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump . SteamAPI WriteMiniDump
The Steam Deck runs Linux and uses Proton (a Wine‑based compatibility layer). Because SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump is Windows‑only, it simply does nothing on Steam Deck. However, there is a deeper issue: the underlying Windows API MiniDumpWriteDump (which Unreal Engine uses internally) can crash or hang on Proton, preventing any crash report from being generated at all. This is a known problem and remains unresolved as of Proton 9.0. If you support Steam Deck, you should implement a cross‑platform crash handler (e.g., Crashpad) that works on Linux natively.
The Win32 structured exception code (e.g., 0xC0000005 for Access Violation). pvExceptionInfo void*
In this guide, we’ll explore what SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump does, how to integrate it into your game, what pitfalls to avoid, and why you should still care about it today. However, there is a deeper issue: the underlying
: The Steam client takes the localized minidump file and uploads it in the background using Valve's secure HTTP API infrastructure.
As part of the , SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump is a crucial function that enables developers to capture the exact state of their game at the moment of a crash. This allows for rapid debugging and improved stability, contributing to a better user experience. What is SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump?
A custom ID to track which version of your game submitted the crash. How to Implement Steam Error Reporting This allows development teams to categorize
Visual Studio will take you directly to the code that caused the crash. Best Practices and Considerations
When a user crashes, the .mdmp file is sent to Valve's servers, where the backend uses your uploaded .pdb files to reconstruct human-readable stack traces. This allows development teams to categorize, track, and prioritize bugs based on occurrence frequency across thousands of players. Best Practices and Precautions
void MiniDumpFunction( unsigned int nExceptionCode, EXCEPTION_POINTERS *pException )
When a player crashes, they can send you the .dmp file. You can then open this file in Visual Studio or WinDbg to see exactly where the code failed on their machine.
The values held in CPU registers at the time of failure.