X500DistinguishedName.Format(Boolean) Method

Definition

Namespace:

System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates

Assembly:

System.Security.Cryptography.dll

Source:

X500DistinguishedName.cs

Returns a formatted version of an X500 distinguished name for printing or for output to a text window or to a console.

public:
 override System::String ^ Format(bool multiLine);

public override string Format (bool multiLine);

override this.Format : bool -> string

Public Overrides Function Format (multiLine As Boolean) As String

Parameters

multiLine

Boolean

true if the return string should contain carriage returns; otherwise, false.

Returns

String

A formatted string that represents the X500 distinguished name.

Examples

The following code example shows how to use the X500DistinguishedName class.

using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;

class X500Sample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        try
        {
            X509Store store = new("MY", StoreLocation.CurrentUser);
            store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly | OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly);
            X509Certificate2Collection collection = store.Certificates;
            X509Certificate2Collection fcollection = collection.Find(
                X509FindType.FindByTimeValid,
                DateTime.Now, false
                );
            X509Certificate2Collection scollection = X509Certificate2UI.SelectFromCollection(
                fcollection,
                "Test Certificate Select",
                "Select a certificate from the following list to get information on that certificate",
                X509SelectionFlag.MultiSelection
                );
            Console.WriteLine($"Number of certificates: {scollection.Count}{Environment.NewLine}");
            foreach (X509Certificate2 x509 in scollection)
            {
                X500DistinguishedName dname = new(
                    x509.SubjectName.Name,
                    X500DistinguishedNameFlags.Reversed | X500DistinguishedNameFlags.UseSemicolons
                    );
                Console.WriteLine("X500DistinguishedName: {0}{1}", dname.Name, Environment.NewLine);
                x509.Reset();
            }
            store.Close();
        }
        catch (CryptographicException)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Information could not be written out for this certificate.");
        }
    }
}

Imports System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates

Class X500Sample
    Shared s_msg As String
    Shared Sub Main()

        Try
            Dim store As New X509Store("MY", StoreLocation.CurrentUser)
            store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly Or OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly)
            Dim collection As X509Certificate2Collection = store.Certificates
            Dim fcollection As X509Certificate2Collection = collection.Find(X509FindType.FindByTimeValid, Date.Now, False)
            Dim scollection As X509Certificate2Collection = X509Certificate2UI.SelectFromCollection(
                fcollection,
                "Test Certificate Select",
                "Select a certificate from the following list to get information on that certificate",
                X509SelectionFlag.MultiSelection
                )
            s_msg = "Number of certificates: " & scollection.Count & Environment.NewLine
            Console.WriteLine(s_msg)
            Dim x509 As X509Certificate2
            For Each x509 In scollection
                Dim dname As New X500DistinguishedName(
                x509.SubjectName.Name,
                X500DistinguishedNameFlags.Reversed Or X500DistinguishedNameFlags.UseSemicolons
                )
                s_msg = "X500DistinguishedName: " & dname.Name & Environment.NewLine
                Console.WriteLine(s_msg)
                x509.Reset()
            Next x509
            store.Close()
        Catch e As Exception
            s_msg = "Error: Information could not be written out for this certificate."
            Console.WriteLine(s_msg)
        End Try
    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

Use this method to print Abstract Syntax Notation number One (ASN.1)-encoded data or output the information to a text box. Use the multiLine parameter to control the layout of the output.