RenderDoc

RenderDoc Tutorial for Windows

Step 1: Open Inexor in Visual Studio and add a breakpoint before Vulkan initialization

  • The best spot would be right after main():

A breakpoint after the main function in Visual Studio debugger.

Step 2: Open RenderDoc.

RenderDoc right after starting it.

Step 3: Start debugging inexor-vulkan-renderer and halt at the breakpoint

Visual Studio interrupts the program because of a breakpoint.

Step 4: “Inject into process” inexor-vulkan-renderer.exe using RenderDoc

"Inject into process" in RenderDoc's menu.

Step 5: Search for “inexor-vulkan-renderer.exe” and click “inject”

  • You will see a warning Windows Firewall the first time you do this.

  • This is because RenderDoc is reading memory from inexor-vulkan-renderer.

  • Accept the Windows Firewall warning to allow RenderDoc to read memory.

Injecting into inexor-vulkan-renderer.

Step 6: Continue debugging in Visual Studio

  • RenderDoc should now look like this.

Injecting into inexor-vulkan-renderer.
  • Press F5 to continue program execution from the breakpoint.

  • RenderDoc is now connected to inexor-vulkan-renderer:

RenderDoc is connected inexor-vulkan-renderer.
  • You can see RenderDoc’s overlay in inexor-vulkan-renderer.exe:

Taking a RenderDoc snapshot.

Step 7: Debug inexor-vulkan-renderer.exe as usual and press F12 to take RenderDoc snapshots

  • You can take multiple snapshots with either PRINT or F12 key.

Taking a RenderDoc snapshot.
  • You can see the snapshots in RenderDoc right after you took them:

Taking a RenderDoc snapshot.

Step 8: Open a snapshot to analyze the rendering of this frame

  • Double click on a snapshot to open it:

Taking a RenderDoc snapshot.
  • Have fun inspecting!