app: startup steps in the crash journal, and a Windows exception filter (#299)

egui-wgpu's startup hook and the app's own steps (window, app setup, viewport
pipelines, first frame, running) go into the journal. On Windows,
native_crash.rs (adapted from SolidCraft, the only module allowed unsafe code;
the app crate now denies instead of forbids it) writes the exception code,
faulting module and offset and a minidump. A nightly/on-demand CI job runs the
app's tests on Windows, including a child that faults on purpose.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <[email protected]>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01UhhZMBTviDQxZvwnyP89fo

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -196,6 +196,23 @@ jobs:
       - name: docs/oracle.md is current
         run: git diff --exit-code docs/oracle.md
 
+  windows:
+    # The desktop app's tests on Windows, nightly and on demand: the Windows-only code
+    # (apps/fieldcraft/src/native_crash.rs, the exception filter) builds and a child process that
+    # faults on purpose leaves its native crash report (#299). Releases build Windows too.
+    name: Windows app tests
+    if: github.event.schedule == '23 3 * * *' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 60
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+      - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
+      - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@6323deb102c322ba6fcbdcafc7e3dddab59af2b6 # v2.9.2
+        with:
+          shared-key: windows
+          save-if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' }}
+      - run: cargo test --locked --profile ci -p fieldcraft
+
   advisories:
     name: Dependency licences, advisories and sources
     if: github.event.schedule != '41 4 * * 0' && (github.event_name != 'pull_request' || github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name != github.repository || github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]')

AGENTS.md

@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ FieldCraft everywhere: crates `fieldcraft-*`, binaries `fieldcraft` and `fieldcr
 ## Never crash
 People trust FieldCraft with their models; a crash loses their work. **This outranks feature work.**
 - **No panics in non-test code:** no `unwrap()`, `expect()`, `panic!`, `unreachable!`, `todo!`,
-  `unimplemented!`; no `unsafe` (`unsafe_code = "forbid"`).
+  `unimplemented!`; no `unsafe` (`unsafe_code = "forbid"`). The one exception, in the app crate
+  (which denies it instead), has no safe API: the Windows-only `apps/fieldcraft/src/native_crash.rs`
+  (the exception filter that records crashes inside native code such as graphics drivers).
 - **Errors are `Result<T, E>`** through the crate's error type and `?`. An unfinished feature
   returns an error ("not supported yet: …"); it never panics.
 - **Input-derived numbers are hostile** (command parameters, model files, solver decks,

ATTRIBUTION.md

@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ is committed and listed here with its exports.
 | crates/ui-egui/src/fields.rs (form rows: a label column of fixed width, then the field) | SolidCraft `crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs.rs` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
 | crates/io/src/fs.rs (atomic writes) | SolidCraft `crates/io/src/safe_write.rs` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
 | crates/io/src/recovery.rs (recovery folder, entries, locks) | SolidCraft `crates/engine/src/recovery.rs` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
-| crates/engine/src/crash.rs, crates/engine/src/crash_tests.rs (crash reports: panic hook, locked command journal, unclean-exit detection, report folders and limits, replay), apps/fieldcraft-cli/src/crashes.rs, docs/crash-reports.md (structure) | SolidCraft `crates/engine/src/crash.rs`, `crash_tests.rs`, `apps/solidcraft-cli/src/crashes.rs`, `docs/crash-reports.md` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
+| crates/engine/src/crash.rs, crates/engine/src/crash_tests.rs (crash reports: panic hook, locked command journal, unclean-exit detection, startup steps, native crash reports, report folders and limits, replay), apps/fieldcraft/src/native_crash.rs (Windows exception filter and minidump), apps/fieldcraft-cli/src/crashes.rs, docs/crash-reports.md (structure) | SolidCraft `crates/engine/src/crash.rs`, `crash_tests.rs`, `apps/solidcraft/src/native_crash.rs`, `apps/solidcraft-cli/src/crashes.rs`, `docs/crash-reports.md` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
 | apps/fieldcraft/src/control_server.rs | SolidCraft `apps/solidcraft/src/control_server.rs` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
 | crates/mcp/src/ (JSON-RPC framing, MCP lifecycle, tool schema checks, the control-channel backend, base64) | SolidCraft `crates/mcp/src/` | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |
 | crates/io/src/roots.rs (the rules of read and write roots) | VectorCraft's automation roots (docs/mcp.md there) | MIT OR Apache-2.0 |

Cargo.lock

@@ -1286,6 +1286,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
  "signal-hook",
  "ureq",
+ "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
 [[package]]

apps/fieldcraft/Cargo.toml

@@ -6,8 +6,18 @@ edition.workspace = true
 license.workspace = true
 publish = false
 
-[lints]
-workspace = true
+# The workspace lints, except unsafe_code: denied, not forbidden, so that src/native_crash.rs
+# (the Windows exception filter, which has no safe API) can allow it. Keep the rest in sync with
+# [workspace.lints].
+[lints.rust]
+unsafe_code = "deny"
+
+[lints.clippy]
+dbg_macro = "warn"
+todo = "warn"
+too_many_arguments = "allow"
+type_complexity = "allow"
+neg_cmp_op_on_partial_ord = "allow"
 
 [dependencies]
 fieldcraft-engine = { workspace = true }
@@ -29,6 +39,18 @@ getrandom = "0.3"
 [target.'cfg(unix)'.dependencies]
 signal-hook = "0.3"
 
+# The exception filter and minidump of a native crash (src/native_crash.rs).
+[target.'cfg(windows)'.dependencies]
+windows-sys = { version = "0.61", features = [
+    "Win32_Foundation",
+    "Win32_Security",
+    "Win32_Storage_FileSystem",
+    "Win32_System_Diagnostics_Debug",
+    "Win32_System_Kernel",
+    "Win32_System_LibraryLoader",
+    "Win32_System_Threading",
+] }
+
 [build-dependencies]
 # The Windows executable's icon resource (build.rs).
 embed-resource = "3.0.12"

apps/fieldcraft/src/main.rs

@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@
 //! `fieldcraft_ui_egui::control` and docs/control-protocol.md.
 #![cfg_attr(all(target_os = "windows", not(debug_assertions)), windows_subsystem = "windows")]
 #![deny(clippy::unwrap_used, clippy::expect_used, clippy::panic, clippy::unimplemented, clippy::todo, clippy::unreachable)]
-#![forbid(unsafe_code)]
+// Unsafe code is denied (Cargo.toml): only the Windows exception filter allows it (native_crash.rs).
 
 mod control_server;
+#[cfg(windows)]
+mod native_crash;
 mod terminate;
 mod update;
 mod usage;
@@ -50,8 +52,8 @@ struct App {
     autosaver: Option<Autosaver>,
     /// App time of the last autosave check.
     autosaved_at: f64,
-    /// The first frame was drawn (the crash journal says the app is up).
-    running: bool,
+    /// Frames drawn so far, up to 2 (the second means the first was presented: the app is up).
+    frames: u8,
     /// Sends the anonymous usage events, when this run may (docs/privacy.md).
     usage: Option<usage::Sender>,
 }
@@ -68,9 +70,13 @@ impl App {
 
 impl eframe::App for App {
     fn logic(&mut self, ctx: &egui::Context, _frame: &mut eframe::Frame) {
-        if !self.running {
-            self.running = true;
-            crash::activity("running");
+        if self.frames < 2 {
+            self.frames += 1;
+            // A second frame right away, which means the first was presented: the app is up.
+            ctx.request_repaint();
+            if self.frames == 2 {
+                crash::phase(crash::RUNNING);
+            }
         }
         self.app.logic(ctx);
         if self.app.now - self.autosaved_at >= AUTOSAVE_SECONDS {
@@ -163,10 +169,18 @@ fn start_reporting() -> Vec<crash::Summary> {
         b.version_line(),
         crash::default_dir().map(|d| d.display().to_string()).unwrap_or_default()
     );
-    crash::activity("startup");
     crashed
 }
 
+/// egui-wgpu is about to start a step of getting the graphics device and the window's surface
+/// up: the crash journal keeps it, and the adapter once it is picked (#299).
+fn startup_step(step: &'static str, detail: &str) {
+    if step == eframe::egui_wgpu::STEP_ADAPTER_CHOSEN {
+        crash::set_environment(&format!("Renderer: {detail}"));
+    }
+    crash::phase(step);
+}
+
 /// Command-line options.
 #[derive(Debug, Default, PartialEq)]
 struct Args {
@@ -224,6 +238,12 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result {
         fieldcraft_io::recovery::use_automation_dir();
     }
     let crashed = start_reporting();
+    // A crash in native code (a graphics driver) says where it happened: the exception and the
+    // module on Windows, and on every system the startup step the app was in.
+    #[cfg(windows)]
+    native_crash::install();
+    eframe::egui_wgpu::set_startup_hook(startup_step);
+    crash::phase("window");
     let options = eframe::NativeOptions {
         viewport: egui::ViewportBuilder::default()
             .with_title("FieldCraft")
@@ -246,6 +266,7 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result {
         "FieldCraft",
         options,
         Box::new(move |cc| {
+            crash::phase("app setup");
             let mut session = Session::default();
             // The window's model: its commands go into the crash journal.
             session.crash_journal = crash::enabled();
@@ -266,7 +287,13 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result {
             if let Some(rs) = &cc.wgpu_render_state {
                 let info = rs.adapter.get_info();
                 log::info!("graphics {:?} {} ({}), MSAA {}x (requested {MSAA}x)", info.backend, info.name, info.driver, rs.msaa_samples);
+                crash::set_environment(&format!("Renderer: {:?} {} ({}), MSAA {}x", info.backend, info.name, info.driver, rs.msaa_samples));
+                crash::phase("viewport pipelines (shader compile)");
                 app.set_wgpu(rs, DEPTH_BITS, rs.msaa_samples, &cc.egui_ctx);
+                // The graphics driver is loaded now; it may have put its own exception filter
+                // in front of ours.
+                #[cfg(windows)]
+                native_crash::reinstall();
             }
             // `kill` or Ctrl-C closes the window as Close does: autosaved, no crash (#248).
             let ctx = cc.egui_ctx.clone();
@@ -294,7 +321,8 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result {
                 Autosaver::new(&dir).map_err(|e| log::warn!("autosave unavailable: {e}")).ok()
             });
             app.announce_crashes(&crashed);
-            Ok(Box::new(App { app, autosaver, autosaved_at: 0.0, running: false, usage }))
+            crash::phase("first frame");
+            Ok(Box::new(App { app, autosaver, autosaved_at: 0.0, frames: 0, usage }))
         }),
     )
 }

apps/fieldcraft/src/native_crash.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,290 @@
+//! Windows: what a crash in native code leaves behind (docs/crash-reports.md, #299).
+//!
+//! A crash inside a graphics driver or another DLL (an access violation, a stack overflow) is no
+//! Rust panic: the panic hook never runs and the next start only found "an unclean exit". An
+//! unhandled-exception filter now writes, before the process goes, a small JSON file with the
+//! exception code, the faulting module and the offset into it, and a minidump, next to the run's
+//! crash journal (`fieldcraft_engine::crash::native_paths`). The next start puts both into the
+//! unclean exit's report, with the startup step the journal says the app was in. Everything that
+//! can be tested without Windows (reading the file, the report, the startup steps) lives in
+//! `fieldcraft_engine::crash` and is tested there.
+//!
+//! Installing an exception filter and asking the system which module holds an address have no
+//! safe API, hence the `unsafe_code` allowance on this module, the only one in FieldCraft (the
+//! app crate denies unsafe code instead of forbidding it for this). The filter runs on a thread
+//! that may have a broken heap or almost no stack left: it doesn't allocate, formats into a buffer
+//! on the stack, and skips the minidump after a stack overflow.
+//!
+//! Adapted from SolidCraft's `apps/solidcraft/src/native_crash.rs` (MIT OR Apache-2.0), see
+//! ATTRIBUTION.md.
+#![allow(unsafe_code)]
+
+use std::fmt::Write as _;
+use std::os::windows::ffi::OsStrExt;
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::sync::OnceLock;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicUsize, Ordering};
+
+use windows_sys::Win32::Foundation::{CloseHandle, GENERIC_WRITE, HANDLE, HMODULE, INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE};
+use windows_sys::Win32::Storage::FileSystem::{CREATE_ALWAYS, CreateFileW, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, WriteFile};
+use windows_sys::Win32::System::Diagnostics::Debug::{
+    EXCEPTION_CONTINUE_SEARCH, EXCEPTION_POINTERS, MINIDUMP_EXCEPTION_INFORMATION, MiniDumpNormal, MiniDumpWithThreadInfo,
+    MiniDumpWithUnloadedModules, MiniDumpWriteDump, SetUnhandledExceptionFilter,
+};
+use windows_sys::Win32::System::LibraryLoader::{
+    GET_MODULE_HANDLE_EX_FLAG_FROM_ADDRESS, GET_MODULE_HANDLE_EX_FLAG_UNCHANGED_REFCOUNT, GetModuleFileNameW, GetModuleHandleExW,
+};
+use windows_sys::Win32::System::Threading::{GetCurrentProcess, GetCurrentProcessId, GetCurrentThreadId};
+
+/// Where the filter writes (NUL-terminated UTF-16), set once by [`install`].
+struct Paths {
+    info: Vec<u16>,
+    dump: Vec<u16>,
+}
+
+static PATHS: OnceLock<Paths> = OnceLock::new();
+/// The filter that was installed before ours (called after ours), as an address.
+static PREVIOUS: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
+/// The filter has started writing (a second exception while it does is left alone).
+static BUSY: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
+
+const STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION: u32 = 0xC000_0005;
+const STATUS_IN_PAGE_ERROR: u32 = 0xC000_0006;
+const STATUS_STACK_OVERFLOW: u32 = 0xC000_00FD;
+
+/// Catch native crashes from now on (after `fieldcraft_engine::crash::install`; nothing without it).
+pub fn install() {
+    let Some((info, dump)) = fieldcraft_engine::crash::native_paths() else { return };
+    let wide = |p: &Path| p.as_os_str().encode_wide().chain([0]).collect::<Vec<u16>>();
+    if PATHS.set(Paths { info: wide(&info), dump: wide(&dump) }).is_ok() {
+        set_filter();
+    }
+}
+
+/// Put the filter back on top: a DLL loaded since (a graphics driver) may have set its own,
+/// which is then called after ours.
+pub fn reinstall() {
+    if PATHS.get().is_some() {
+        set_filter();
+    }
+}
+
+fn set_filter() {
+    // SAFETY: `filter` has the signature the system calls it with and stays valid for the
+    // process's life.
+    let previous = unsafe { SetUnhandledExceptionFilter(Some(filter)) };
+    if let Some(p) = previous
+        && p as usize != filter as *const () as usize
+    {
+        PREVIOUS.store(p as usize, Ordering::SeqCst);
+    }
+}
+
+/// The unhandled-exception filter: record, then let the previous filter (or the system) go on.
+unsafe extern "system" fn filter(pointers: *const EXCEPTION_POINTERS) -> i32 {
+    if !BUSY.swap(true, Ordering::SeqCst) {
+        // SAFETY: the system passes valid exception pointers for the duration of the call.
+        unsafe { record(pointers) };
+    }
+    let previous = PREVIOUS.load(Ordering::SeqCst);
+    if previous != 0 && previous != filter as *const () as usize {
+        // SAFETY: the address came from `SetUnhandledExceptionFilter` as a filter of this type.
+        let previous: unsafe extern "system" fn(*const EXCEPTION_POINTERS) -> i32 = unsafe { std::mem::transmute(previous) };
+        // SAFETY: as for this filter.
+        return unsafe { previous(pointers) };
+    }
+    EXCEPTION_CONTINUE_SEARCH
+}
+
+/// A fixed buffer to format into without allocating (what doesn't fit is cut off).
+struct Buf {
+    bytes: [u8; 2048],
+    len: usize,
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Write for Buf {
+    fn write_str(&mut self, s: &str) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        let room = self.bytes.len().saturating_sub(self.len);
+        let n = s.len().min(room);
+        if let (Some(to), Some(from)) = (self.bytes.get_mut(self.len..self.len + n), s.as_bytes().get(..n)) {
+            to.copy_from_slice(from);
+            self.len += n;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+/// The usual names of the exception codes a crash shows.
+fn code_name(code: u32) -> &'static str {
+    match code {
+        STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION => "EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION",
+        STATUS_IN_PAGE_ERROR => "EXCEPTION_IN_PAGE_ERROR",
+        STATUS_STACK_OVERFLOW => "EXCEPTION_STACK_OVERFLOW",
+        0xC000_001D => "EXCEPTION_ILLEGAL_INSTRUCTION",
+        0xC000_0094 => "EXCEPTION_INT_DIVIDE_BY_ZERO",
+        0xC000_0096 => "EXCEPTION_PRIV_INSTRUCTION",
+        0xC000_008C => "EXCEPTION_ARRAY_BOUNDS_EXCEEDED",
+        0xC000_0374 => "STATUS_HEAP_CORRUPTION",
+        0xC000_0409 => "STATUS_STACK_BUFFER_OVERRUN",
+        0xC000_0602 => "STATUS_FAIL_FAST_EXCEPTION",
+        0x8000_0003 => "EXCEPTION_BREAKPOINT",
+        0xE06D_7363 => "C++ exception",
+        _ => "exception",
+    }
+}
+
+/// Write what `pointers` says into the info file, then the minidump.
+unsafe fn record(pointers: *const EXCEPTION_POINTERS) {
+    let Some(paths) = PATHS.get() else { return };
+    if pointers.is_null() {
+        return;
+    }
+    // SAFETY: checked non-null; the system keeps it valid during the filter.
+    let rec = unsafe { (*pointers).ExceptionRecord };
+    if rec.is_null() {
+        return;
+    }
+    // SAFETY: as above.
+    let rec = unsafe { &*rec };
+    let code = rec.ExceptionCode as u32;
+    let address = rec.ExceptionAddress as usize;
+    let mut module: HMODULE = std::ptr::null_mut();
+    let mut name = [0u16; 512];
+    // SAFETY: FROM_ADDRESS takes the address in place of a name; UNCHANGED_REFCOUNT means no
+    // handle to release; `name` is as long as we say.
+    let len = unsafe {
+        if GetModuleHandleExW(
+            GET_MODULE_HANDLE_EX_FLAG_FROM_ADDRESS | GET_MODULE_HANDLE_EX_FLAG_UNCHANGED_REFCOUNT,
+            address as *const u16,
+            &mut module,
+        ) != 0
+        {
+            GetModuleFileNameW(module, name.as_mut_ptr(), name.len() as u32) as usize
+        } else {
+            0
+        }
+    };
+    // SAFETY: no preconditions.
+    let thread = unsafe { GetCurrentThreadId() };
+    let mut b = Buf { bytes: [0; 2048], len: 0 };
+    let _ = write!(b, "{{\"code\":\"0x{code:08X}\",\"name\":\"{}\",\"address\":\"0x{address:016X}\",\"thread\":{thread}", code_name(code));
+    if len > 0 {
+        let _ = write!(b, ",\"offset\":\"0x{:X}\",\"module\":\"", address.wrapping_sub(module as usize));
+        for c in char::decode_utf16(name.iter().take(len).copied()) {
+            let _ = match c.unwrap_or(char::REPLACEMENT_CHARACTER) {
+                '"' => b.write_str("\\\""),
+                '\\' => b.write_str("\\\\"),
+                c if (c as u32) < 0x20 => b.write_str("?"),
+                c => b.write_char(c),
+            };
+        }
+        let _ = b.write_str("\"");
+    }
+    if matches!(code, STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION | STATUS_IN_PAGE_ERROR) && rec.NumberParameters >= 2 {
+        let what = match rec.ExceptionInformation[0] {
+            0 => "read of",
+            1 => "write to",
+            8 => "execution at",
+            _ => "access to",
+        };
+        let _ = write!(b, ",\"detail\":\"{what} 0x{:016X}\"", rec.ExceptionInformation[1]);
+    }
+    let _ = b.write_str("}");
+    let bytes = b.bytes.get(..b.len).unwrap_or_default();
+    // SAFETY: NUL-terminated path; the handle is closed below.
+    unsafe {
+        let file = create(&paths.info);
+        if !file.is_null() {
+            let mut written = 0u32;
+            WriteFile(file, bytes.as_ptr(), bytes.len() as u32, &mut written, std::ptr::null_mut());
+            CloseHandle(file);
+        }
+    }
+    // After a stack overflow there is no stack left for writing a minidump.
+    if code == STATUS_STACK_OVERFLOW {
+        return;
+    }
+    // SAFETY: as above; the exception information points at this thread's exception.
+    unsafe {
+        let file = create(&paths.dump);
+        if !file.is_null() {
+            let exception = MINIDUMP_EXCEPTION_INFORMATION { ThreadId: thread, ExceptionPointers: pointers as *mut _, ClientPointers: 0 };
+            MiniDumpWriteDump(
+                GetCurrentProcess(),
+                GetCurrentProcessId(),
+                file,
+                MiniDumpNormal | MiniDumpWithThreadInfo | MiniDumpWithUnloadedModules,
+                &exception,
+                std::ptr::null(),
+                std::ptr::null(),
+            );
+            CloseHandle(file);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A new file at `path` (NUL-terminated) for writing, or null.
+unsafe fn create(path: &[u16]) -> HANDLE {
+    // SAFETY: the caller passes a NUL-terminated path.
+    let h = unsafe { CreateFileW(path.as_ptr(), GENERIC_WRITE, 0, std::ptr::null(), CREATE_ALWAYS, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, std::ptr::null_mut()) };
+    if h == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE { std::ptr::null_mut() } else { h }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+    /// The child half: install crash reporting and the filter, then fault in native code.
+    #[test]
+    fn child() {
+        let Some(dir) = std::env::var_os("FIELDCRAFT_NATIVE_CRASH_CHILD") else { return };
+        let build = fieldcraft_engine::crash::Build { version: "9.9.9", commit: "abc1234" };
+        let fresh = fieldcraft_engine::crash::install(PathBuf::from(dir), build);
+        println!("FRESH {}", serde_json::to_string(&fresh).unwrap_or_default());
+        if std::env::var_os("FIELDCRAFT_NATIVE_CRASH_FAULT").is_none() {
+            fieldcraft_engine::crash::end_session();
+            return;
+        }
+        super::install();
+        fieldcraft_engine::crash::phase("device creation");
+        // SAFETY: none; this is the crash under test (a read of address 16, as a null struct
+        // pointer's field would be).
+        let v = unsafe { std::ptr::read_volatile(16 as *const u64) };
+        println!("unreachable {v}");
+    }
+
+    fn run(dir: &std::path::Path, fault: bool) -> std::process::Output {
+        let mut c = std::process::Command::new(std::env::current_exe().unwrap());
+        c.args(["--exact", "native_crash::tests::child", "--test-threads=1", "--nocapture"]).env("FIELDCRAFT_NATIVE_CRASH_CHILD", dir);
+        if fault {
+            c.env("FIELDCRAFT_NATIVE_CRASH_FAULT", "1");
+        }
+        c.output().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn an_access_violation_is_reported_with_its_module_step_and_minidump() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("fieldcraft-native-crash-{}", std::process::id()));
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+        let out = run(&dir, true);
+        assert_eq!(out.status.code().map(|c| c as u32), Some(super::STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION), "{out:?}");
+        let sessions: Vec<PathBuf> = std::fs::read_dir(dir.join("sessions")).unwrap().flatten().map(|e| e.path()).collect();
+        let info = sessions.iter().find(|p| p.to_string_lossy().ends_with(".native.json")).expect("the filter wrote what it caught");
+        let v: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&std::fs::read(info).unwrap()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(v["code"], "0xC0000005", "{v}");
+        assert_eq!(v["detail"], "read of 0x0000000000000010", "{v}");
+        assert!(v["module"].as_str().unwrap().to_lowercase().contains("fieldcraft"), "the fault is in the test binary: {v}");
+        let dump = sessions.iter().find(|p| p.extension().is_some_and(|e| e == "dmp")).expect("a minidump");
+        assert_eq!(std::fs::read(dump).unwrap().get(..4), Some(&b"MDMP"[..]));
+        // The next start reports it.
+        let out = run(&dir, false);
+        assert!(out.status.success(), "{out:?}");
+        let reports = fieldcraft_engine::crash::list(&dir);
+        assert_eq!(reports.len(), 1, "{reports:?}");
+        let r = fieldcraft_engine::crash::read(&dir, &reports[0].id).unwrap();
+        assert!(r["message"].as_str().unwrap().contains("EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) in fieldcraft"), "{r}");
+        assert!(r["message"].as_str().unwrap().contains("during startup (device creation"), "{r}");
+        assert!(r.get("minidump_path").is_some(), "{r}");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+    }
+}

docs/crash-reports.md

@@ -53,10 +53,31 @@ error stream.
   — an abort, a stack overflow, a crash in a graphics driver, the process being killed outright
   (SIGKILL) — found at the next start), `message`, `location`, `thread`, `backtrace`, `app`, `system`, `command`,
   `recent_commands` (up to 32), `last_activity` (the last control request, such as
-  `control ui.capture`), `base`, `count`, `first_seen`, `last_seen`, `notes`
+  `control ui.capture`), `startup_phase` (`{step, ms}`: the step a run that never drew its first
+  frame died in), `native` (Windows: what the exception filter caught), `base`, `count`,
+  `first_seen`, `last_seen`, `notes`; `system.environment` names the renderer, GPU and driver
 - `model.fieldcraft`: the model the replay starts from
 - `replay.json`: `{"commands": [{command, params}, …]}`
 - `log.txt`: the crashed run's lines of the log
+- `minidump.dmp` (Windows, a crash in native code): open it with WinDbg or Visual Studio
+
+### Startup steps and native crashes
+
+While the app gets up, the journal keeps the step it is in: the app's own (`window`, `app setup`,
+`viewport pipelines (shader compile)`, `first frame`, and `running` once a frame was presented)
+and egui-wgpu's in between (`graphics instance`, `window surface`, `adapter request`, `adapter
+chosen`, when the renderer is recorded, `device creation`, `egui renderer (shader compile)`,
+`surface configure`, `first frame (present)`). A run that dies before `running` is reported "during startup (device creation, 1.2 s
+after launch)", so a graphics driver crash names its step.
+
+On Windows an unhandled-exception filter (`apps/fieldcraft/src/native_crash.rs`) catches a crash
+in native code (an access violation in a graphics driver, a stack overflow): before the process
+goes it writes the exception code, the faulting module and the offset into it, and a minidump,
+next to the journal. The next start puts them into the report: "crashed with
+EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005) in igvk64.dll+0x64EA72 during startup (device
+creation…)", `backtrace` the code, the module and offset, and the thread, `native` the raw fields,
+and `minidump.dmp`. After a stack overflow there is no stack left for a minidump; the rest is
+still written.
 
 The next start after a crash asks "FieldCraft closed unexpectedly": **Report It…** opens Report a
 Bug for that report.