renderdoc-capture

RenderDoc Capture

Call get_version before capture. capture_program starts only the explicit executable and arguments, never a shell. Set trigger_after_secs to request one capture through RenderDoc's official local Target Control API. This headless trigger requires qrenderdoc beside renderdoccmd; it does not focus a window or synthesize keyboard input. hook_children remains a RenderDoc launch option. Set trigger_process_name only with hook_children=true; the sidecar checks the launched target first and, if its name differs, follows only its official NewChild messages to find a unique matching child. A child name without child hooking fails before launch.

The official RenderDoc runtime supports Windows and Linux, not macOS (where this project runs Python unit tests only). On headless Linux, run the adapter under Xvfb or provide another working X/Wayland display; the official archive does not include Qt's offscreen platform plugin.

Capture tools inspect each new .rdc before reporting success. A capture with no frame work such as Draw, Dispatch, Clear, Copy, Resolve, Blit, render-pass work, or command-list execution is rejected with chunk diagnostics while the .rdc remains at the requested output path; retry while the intended target is actively rendering or correct the selected child process.

Use capture_process when Steam or another platform client must launch the target first. It injects into the explicit PID, connects to the returned Target Control ident, requests one capture after the configured delay, and waits for the resulting file. It never takes foreground focus or emits a hotkey. Inject before the target creates its graphics device; late injection cannot recover resources that RenderDoc did not observe. Prefer capture_program when the executable can be launched directly. Neither tool terminates the target process.