An example of how to create a Mini Dump on Windows

mini_dump_example.cpp

#include <functional>
#include <iostream>

#include <windows.h>
#include <dbghelp.h>

template<typename Callback>
struct ScopeExit
{
  explicit ScopeExit(Callback p_func)
    : m_func(p_func) {}
  ~ScopeExit() { m_func(); }
private:
  Callback m_func;
};

template<typename Callback>
ScopeExit<Callback> make_scope_exit(Callback p_func)
{
  return ScopeExit<Callback>(p_func);
}

inline auto load_write_minidump(HMODULE & lib)
{
  /* TODO(hallen): gross */
  auto cast_version = reinterpret_cast<BOOL (*)(HANDLE, DWORD, HANDLE, MINIDUMP_TYPE, PMINIDUMP_EXCEPTION_INFORMATION, PMINIDUMP_USER_STREAM_INFORMATION, PMINIDUMP_CALLBACK_INFORMATION)>(::GetProcAddress(lib, "MiniDumpWriteDump"));
  return std::function<BOOL(HANDLE, DWORD, HANDLE, MINIDUMP_TYPE, PMINIDUMP_EXCEPTION_INFORMATION, PMINIDUMP_USER_STREAM_INFORMATION, PMINIDUMP_CALLBACK_INFORMATION)>(cast_version);
}

bool create_mini_dump(const LPCSTR & file_name) {
  HMODULE dbghelp_module = ::LoadLibrary(TEXT("dbghelp.dll"));
  HANDLE hFile =
    ::CreateFile(file_name, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, 0, nullptr, CREATE_ALWAYS, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, nullptr);
  auto at_exit = make_scope_exit(
   [hFile, dbghelp_module]() {
      ::CloseHandle(hFile);
      ::FreeLibrary(dbghelp_module);
    });
  auto minidump_writer = load_write_minidump(dbghelp_module);
  if (nullptr == hFile || INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE == hFile) {
    std::cerr << "Failed to create MiniDump file!" << std::endl;
    return false;
  }
  // initialize the minidump
  MINIDUMP_TYPE type = MiniDumpNormal;
  BOOL ret = minidump_writer(::GetCurrentProcess(), ::GetCurrentProcessId(), hFile, type, nullptr, 0, 0);
  return ret;
}

int main(int argc, char ** argv)
{
  static_cast<void>(argc);
  static_cast<void>(argv);

  try {
    throw std::invalid_argument("OH NO");
  } catch (std::invalid_argument & e) {
    std::cerr << "caught exception '" << e.what() << "'" << std::endl;
    create_mini_dump("OH_NO.dmp");
    return 1;
  }
  return 0;
}