ScMinidriver B4X (B4A / B4J) Reference Documentation
ChilkatScMinidriver
Current Version: 11.6.0
Chilkat.ScMinidriver
Use the Windows smart-card minidriver layer to access card capabilities
without working directly at the APDU level.
Enumerate and inspect smart-card certificates, key containers, container
indexes, key types, and related card state.
Authenticate to the card with the required PIN before accessing protected
private-key operations or card objects.
Sign data using private keys that remain on the smart card, including
workflows where the private key is non-exportable.
Generate or import RSA and ECC keys into supported card containers when
the card policy allows it.
Link a smart-card certificate to other Chilkat classes so PDF, XML,
CMS/PKCS7, S/MIME, or other signing operations can use the card-backed
private key.
For an extended overview, see
ScMinidriver Class Overview.
Access smart-card certificates, key containers, PINs, files, and on-card signing.
Chilkat.ScMinidriver is a smart-card integration class for
applications that need card minidriver access to certificates, key
containers, PIN authentication, card files, and on-card signing. It can
retrieve and link smart-card certificates for use in other Chilkat signing
classes, generate or import RSA and ECC keys, sign data directly, inspect
card and container state, and manage selected card files and certificates.
Connect through minidriver
Certificates and containers
PIN authentication
On-card signing
Key generation and import
Use with Chilkat signing
ScMinidriver for Windows card-minidriver certificate
and key-container operations; use Chilkat.SCard for direct
PC/SC APDU-level work, and Chilkat.Pkcs11 for PKCS#11 token or
HSM sessions.
Declare / Initialize / Dispose
Sub Process_Globals
Private obj As ChilkatScMinidriver
End Sub
' Call Initialize before first use -- typically in AppStart (B4J)
' or Activity_Create (B4A):
obj.Initialize ' classes without events
obj.Initialize("evt") ' classes with events: "evt" becomes the
' prefix of event Subs such as evt_PercentDone
Creates the underlying native Chilkat object. Classes that support events take an EventName argument: it becomes the prefix of the event Subs (<EventName>_AbortCheck, <EventName>_PercentDone, <EventName>_ProgressInfo); classes without events take no arguments. The native Chilkat library loads automatically on the first Initialize — from the APK on Android, or extracted from ChilkatB4J.jar on Windows/Linux/macOS.
True if Initialize has been called and the native object exists.
Explicitly frees the underlying native object. Calling Dispose is optional — every ChilkatScMinidriver is also freed automatically when garbage-collected — but is recommended for long-lived objects holding sockets, sessions, or large buffers. A disposed object can be re-Initialized.
Properties
Atr
Atr As String
The ATR of the card in the reader. This property is set by the AquireContext method.
topCardName
CardName As String
The name of the card in the reader. This property is set by the AquireContext method.
topDebugLogFilePath
DebugLogFilePath As String
If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.
Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.
Possible causes of hangs include:
- A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
- A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
- An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.
LastErrorHtml
LastErrorHtml As String
Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastErrorText
LastErrorText As String
Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
LastErrorXml
LastErrorXml As String
Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastMethodSuccess
LastMethodSuccess As Boolean
Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: True means success, False means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.
MaxContainers
MaxContainers As Int
The maximum number of key containers available. The 1st key container is at index 0. Each key container can potentially contain one signature key, and one key exchange key.
topRsaPaddingHash
RsaPaddingHash As String
If an RSA key is used for signing, this is the hash algorithm to used in conjunction with the padding scheme. It can be SHA1, SHA256, SHA384, or SHA512. The default is SHA256.
RsaPaddingScheme
RsaPaddingScheme As String
If an RSA key is used for signing, this is the padding scheme to use. It can be PKCS or PSS. The default is PSS.
UncommonOptions
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.
topVerboseLogging
VerboseLogging As Boolean
If set to True, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is False. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.
Version
Version As String
Methods
AcquireContext
Initializes communication with the card inserted in the given reader. Reader names can be discovered via the SCard.ListReaders or SCard.FindSmartcards methods. If successful, the Atr and CardName properties will be set.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
CardDeleteFile
Deletes the file specified by dirName and fileName. dirName is the name of the directory that contains the file, or the empty string for root.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topDeleteCert
Deletes a certificate and optionally its associated private key from the smart card. If delPrivKey is True, then the associated private key, if it exists, is also deleted.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topDeleteContext
This function reverses the effect of AcquireContext and severs the communication between the Base CSP/KSP and the card minidriver. The Atr and CardName properties are cleared.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topDeleteKeyContainer
Deletes the key container at the given containerIndex. This deletes both the signature and key exchange keys that may be contained in the specified key container.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
EnumFiles
Get the list of files in the directory specified by dirName. Pass the empty string for the root directory. The filenames are returned in st.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topFindCert
Finds the certificate where the given certPart equals the partValue. Possible values for certPart are: subjectDN, subjectDN_withTags, subjectCN, serial, or serial:issuerCN.
The cert is loaded with the certificate if successful.
Note: If successful, the cert will be linked internally with this ScMinidriver session such that certificate can be used for signing on the smart card when used in other Chilkat classes such as XmlDSigGen, Pdf, Crypt2, Mime, MailMan, etc.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
GenerateKey
Generates a key to be stored in either the signature or key exchange location within a key container. Creates the key container if it does not already exist. Otherwise replaces the key in the key container.
The keySpec can be sig or kex to specify either the signature or key exchange location.
The keyType can be ecc or rsa.
For RSA keys, the keySize is the size of the key in bits, such as 1024, 2048, 4096, etc. (2048 is a typical value.) For ECC keys, the size can be 256, 384, or 521.
The pinId can be user, or 3 through 7. (It is typically user.)
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topGetCardProperties
Gets all card properties and returns them in json. See the example below.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
GetCert
Get the certificate at the specified containerIndex and keySpec. The keySpec can be sig or kex to specify either the signature or key exchange location within the container. The containerIndex can be -1 to choose the first key container with a certificate. The keySpec can also be any to choose either sig or kex based on which is present, with preference given to sig if both are present.
The cert is loaded with the certificate if successful.
Note: If successful, the cert will be linked internally with this ScMinidriver session such that certificate can be used for signing on the smart card when used in other Chilkat classes such as XmlDSigGen, Pdf, Crypt2, Mime, MailMan, etc.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
GetContainerKeys
Queries a key container to get the keys that are present. If the signature public key is present, it is returned in sigKey. If the key exchange key is present, it is returned in kexKey.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
GetCspContainerMap
Returns the contents of the CSP container map file (cmapfile). The information is returned in the json. This gives an overview of what key containers and certificates exist in the smart card from a CSP's point of view. See the example linked below.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
ImportCert
Imports a certificate with its private key onto the smart card. The cert must have an accessible private key, such as will be the case if the cert was loaded from a .pfx/.p12, or if the cert was loaded from a Windows certificate store where the private key exists (and can be exported from the Windows certificate store).
The containerIndex is the container index. It can range from 0 to the MaxContainers-1.
The keySpec can be sig or kex to specify either the signature or key exchange location within the container.
The pinId can be user, or 3 through 7. (It is typically user.)
Returns True for success, False for failure.
ImportKey
Imports a key to be stored in either the signature or key exchange location within a key container. Creates the key container if it does not already exist. Otherwise replaces the specified key in the key container.
The keySpec can be sig or kex to specify either the signature or key exchange location.
The privKey is the private key to import.
The ARG5 can be user, or 3 through 7. (It is typically user.)
Returns True for success, False for failure.
ListCerts
Lists the certs found on the smart card. The certPart indicates the information to be returned from each certificate. Possible values are: subjectDN, subjectDN_withTags, subjectCN, serial, or serial:issuerCN. The information is returned in st.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
PinAuthenticate
Performs regular PIN authentication. The pinId can be user, admin, or 3 through 7. (It is typically user.) The pin is the alphanumeric PIN.
Returns 0 for success. If not successful, the return value indicates the number of attempts remaining before the PIN is locked. (The number of times an incorrect PIN may be presented to the card before the PIN is blocked, and requires the admin to unblock it.) If the PIN is already blocked, the return value is -1. If the method fails for some other reason, such as if a context has not yet been acquired, the return value is -2.
PinAuthenticateHex
The same as PinAutheneticate, but the PIN is passed as a hex string. For example, to pass a PIN of 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, pass 01020304.
PinChange
Changes a PIN. The pinId can be user, admin, or 3 through 7. (It is typically user.) The currentPin is the current alphanumeric PIN. The newPin is the new PIN.
Returns 0 for success. If not successful, the return value indicates the number of attempts remaining before the PIN is locked. (The number of times an incorrect PIN may be presented to the card before the PIN is blocked, and requires the admin to unblock it.) If the PIN is already blocked, the return value is -1. If the method fails for some other reason, such as if a context has not yet been acquired, the return value is -2.
PinDeauthenticate
Reverses a previous PIN authentication without resetting the card. The pinId can be user, admin, or 3 through 7. (It is typically user.)
Returns True for success, False for failure.
ReadFile
Reads the entire file specified by dirName and fileName into bd. dirName is the name of the directory that contains the file, or the empty string for root.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topSignData
Signs the data passed in bdData. The hashDataAlg can be sha1, sha256, sha384, sha512, or none. If not equal to none, then the hash of the data passed in bdData is signed.
The containerIndex specifies the key container. By specifying the key container, you are almost specifying the key. A key container can contain two keys: A signature key, and a key-exchange key. The keySpec indicates which of these two keys to use. keySpec should be set to sig or kex.
Note: The type of signature created, such as RSA or ECC, is determined by the type of key that exists in the key container (specified by containerIndex and keySpec). If it is an RSA key, additional options can be specified via the RsaPaddingScheme and RsaPaddingHash properties.
If successful, the signature is written to bdSignedData.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
topWriteFile
Writes the entire file specified by dirName and fileName. dirName is the name of the directory that contains the file, or the empty string for root. The entire contents of bd are written to the file on the smart card.
Returns True for success, False for failure.
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