---
product: Chilkat
product_version: 11.7.0
language: xojo
language_label: Xojo
class: CertStore
license: free
deprecated: false
reference_html: https://www.chilkatsoft.com/refdoc/xojoCertStoreRef.html
---
# Chilkat CertStore — Xojo — v11.7.0

> Chilkat 11.7.0 · language=xojo · class=CertStore
> Other versions: replace `11.7.0` in this URL. Other languages: `https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/<lang>/classes/CertStore.md`.
> Language-wide rules (install, unlock, error model, strings/bytes): `https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/xojo/guide.md`.

## Purpose

**Open, search, manage, and use certificate collections from many sources.**

`Chilkat.CertStore` is the Chilkat class for working with collections of X.509 certificates. It can open and manage certificates from system stores, Apple Keychain, Windows registry or file stores, memory stores, PEM files, PFX/P12 files, and smart card or USB token devices. It supports loading, searching, iterating, adding, removing, and closing certificate stores, with platform-specific behavior for Windows and Apple Keychain.

**Open certificate stores**

Access certificates from Windows certificate stores, Apple Keychain, files, memory stores, PEM bundles, PFX/P12 files, and hardware tokens.

**Search and retrieve certs**

Find certificates by subject, issuer, serial number, thumbprint, email, private-key availability, or other identifying information.

**Iterate collections**

Enumerate certificates in a store and retrieve each certificate as a `Chilkat.Cert` object for inspection or use.

**Add and remove certificates**

Add certificates to writable stores, remove certificates where supported, and manage store contents from application code.

**Private-key backed certs**

Work with certificates that have associated private keys from PFX/P12, operating-system stores, smart cards, USB tokens, or other providers.

**Use across Chilkat**

Pass retrieved certificates to other Chilkat classes for TLS client authentication, S/MIME, signing, encryption, decryption, and verification.

**Common pattern:** Open the appropriate certificate store, search or iterate to find the needed certificate, retrieve it as a `Chilkat.Cert`, and then pass that certificate to the Chilkat class that needs it. Use certificate stores when the application should select from existing system, file-based, keychain, or hardware-backed certificates.

For an extended overview, see [CertStore Class Overview](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/certstore_class_overview.asp).

## Object creation, unlocking and error handling

**Object Creation**

```xojo
Dim certStore As New Chilkat.CertStore
```

Call `Global.UnlockBundle` once at the start of the program, before using this or any other Chilkat class. Any string unlocks a fully functional 30-day trial; a purchased unlock code is used in production. See `guide.md` for the exact code in Xojo.

How failure is reported depends on the method's return type and is stated in the note under each method below. In every case the diagnostic text is in the `LastErrorText` property of the object whose method was called.

## Members common to every Chilkat class

Documented once per language in `common-members.md`; listed here so this page is self-contained.

| Property | Signature | Access | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| `DebugLogFilePath` | `DebugLogFilePath As String` | read/write | If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. |
| `LastErrorHtml` | `LastErrorHtml As String (read-only)` | read-only | Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. |
| `LastErrorText` | `LastErrorText As String (read-only)` | read-only | Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. |
| `LastErrorXml` | `LastErrorXml As String (read-only)` | read-only | Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. |
| `LastMethodSuccess` | `LastMethodSuccess As Boolean` | read/write | Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: `True` means success, `False` means failure. |
| `VerboseLogging` | `VerboseLogging As Boolean` | read/write | If set to `True`, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. |
| `Version` | `Version As String (read-only)` | read-only | Version of the component/library, such as "10.1.0" |

## Member index

| Member | Kind | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| `NumCertificates` | property, read-only | `NumCertificates As Int32 (read-only)` |
| `SmartCardPin` | property, read/write | `SmartCardPin As String` |
| `UncommonOptions` | property, read/write | `UncommonOptions As String` |
| `AddCertificate` | method | `Function AddCertificate(cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean` |
| `CloseCertStore` | method | `Function CloseCertStore() As Boolean` |
| `FindCert` | method | `Function FindCert(json As Chilkat.JsonObject, cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean` |
| `GetCert` | method | `Function GetCert(index As Int32, cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean` |
| `LoadPemFile` | method | `Function LoadPemFile(pemPath As String) As Boolean` |
| `LoadPemStr` | method | `Function LoadPemStr(pemString As String) As Boolean` |
| `LoadPfxBd` | method | `Function LoadPfxBd(bd As Chilkat.BinData, password As String) As Boolean` |
| `LoadPfxFile` | method | `Function LoadPfxFile(pfxFilename As String, password As String) As Boolean` |
| `OpenCurrentUserStore` | method | `Function OpenCurrentUserStore(bReadOnly As Boolean) As Boolean` |
| `OpenSmartcard` | method | `Function OpenSmartcard(csp As String) As Boolean` |
| `RemoveCertificate` | method | `Function RemoveCertificate(cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean` |

## Properties

### CertStore.NumCertificates

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · NumCertificates · property · read-only`

```xojo
NumCertificates As Int32 (read-only)
```

The number of certificates held in the certificate store.

### CertStore.SmartCardPin

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · SmartCardPin · property · read/write · since 9.5.0.86`

```xojo
SmartCardPin As String
```

Can be set to the PIN value for a certificate / private key stored on a smart card.

### CertStore.UncommonOptions

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · UncommonOptions · property · read/write · since 9.5.0.87`

```xojo
UncommonOptions As String
```

This is a catch-all property to be used for uncommon needs. This property defaults to the empty string, and should typically remain empty.

## Methods

### CertStore.AddCertificate

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · AddCertificate · method`

```xojo
Function AddCertificate(cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean
```

On Windows, this updates or adds `cert` to the open Windows certificate store. Note: This imports the certificate without the private key. The `Chilkat.Pfx.ImportToWindows` method must be called to import a certificate with a private key.

Beginning with Chilkat v10.0.0, on macOS and iOS, this adds the certificate, **including any private keys** and intermediate CA certificates, to the Apple Keychain.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.CloseCertStore

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · CloseCertStore · method · since 9.5.0.94`

```xojo
Function CloseCertStore() As Boolean
```

This method closes any open certificate stores, removes all certificates from the object, and sets the NumCertificates property back to 0.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.FindCert

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · FindCert · method · since 10.1.2`

```xojo
Function FindCert(json As Chilkat.JsonObject, cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean
```

Searches for a certificate using criteria from `json` and stores the result in `cert`. If multiple criteria are provided, it searches each one sequentially and returns the first match.

Preference is given to non-expired certificates, so if both expired and non-expired certificates match, the non-expired one is selected.

See the examples below for details.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.GetCert

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · GetCert · method · since 10.1.2`

```xojo
Function GetCert(index As Int32, cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean
```

Loads the Nth certificate into `cert`. The first certificate is at index 0.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.LoadPemFile

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · LoadPemFile · method`

```xojo
Function LoadPemFile(pemPath As String) As Boolean
```

Loads the certificates contained within a PEM formatted file.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.LoadPemStr

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · LoadPemStr · method`

```xojo
Function LoadPemStr(pemString As String) As Boolean
```

Loads the certificates contained within an in-memory PEM formatted string.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.LoadPfxBd

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · LoadPfxBd · method · since 10.1.2`

```xojo
Function LoadPfxBd(bd As Chilkat.BinData, password As String) As Boolean
```

Loads the PFX/P12 bytes contained in `bd`. `password` is the password to the PFX.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.LoadPfxFile

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · LoadPfxFile · method`

```xojo
Function LoadPfxFile(pfxFilename As String, password As String) As Boolean
```

Loads a PFX file. Once loaded, the certificates within the PFX may be searched via the Find\* methods. It is also possible to iterate from 0 to NumCertficates-1, calling GetCertificate for each index, to retrieve each certificate within the PFX.

**Note:** This method does not import certificates into the Windows certificate stores. The purpose of this method is to load a .pfx/.p12 into this object so that other API methods can be called to explore or search the contents of the PFX. The Chilkat Pfx class also provides similar functionality.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.OpenCurrentUserStore

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · OpenCurrentUserStore · method`

```xojo
Function OpenCurrentUserStore(bReadOnly As Boolean) As Boolean
```

On Windows, this method opens the **Current-User\\Personal** certificate store in the registry. Set `bReadOnly` to `True` to open the store in read-only mode, which allows you to fetch certificates without adding or removing them. This prevents `permission denied` errors that require read-write access.

Starting in version 10.0.0, this method opens the **Apple Keychain** on MacOS and iOS systems. The `bReadOnly` is ignored.

After opening the store, you can search for certificates using the Find\* methods. Alternatively, you can iterate through the certificates by indexing from 0 to NumCertificates-1, using GetCertificate to access each one.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.OpenSmartcard

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · OpenSmartcard · method · since 10.1.2`

```xojo
Function OpenSmartcard(csp As String) As Boolean
```

This function identifies connected HSM devices such as smart cards and USB tokens, and loads the certificates from each device. It has been significantly enhanced in Chilkat v10.1.2 and is compatible with Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Linux. (Android is not yet supported.)

Note: The `csp` is no longer used and is ignored. Applications should pass an empty string.

Note: If multiple HSM devices are connected, avoid setting the SmartCardPin property unless all devices share the same PIN. Otherwise, Chilkat will attempt to use that PIN for each device, which could cause issues.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

### CertStore.RemoveCertificate

`Chilkat 11.7.0 · xojo · CertStore · RemoveCertificate · method`

```xojo
Function RemoveCertificate(cert As Chilkat.Cert) As Boolean
```

(This method only available on Microsoft Windows operating systems.)  
Removes the passed certificate from the store. The certificate object passed as the argument can no longer be used once removed.

Returns True for success, False for failure.

## Related classes

[`BinData`](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/xojo/classes/BinData.md), [`Cert`](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/xojo/classes/Cert.md), [`JsonObject`](https://www.chilkatsoft.com/ai-docs/v/11.7.0/xojo/classes/JsonObject.md)