X509Certificate2Collection.Find(X509FindType, Object, Boolean) Method

Definition

Searches an X509Certificate2Collection object using the search criteria specified by the X509FindType enumeration and the findValue object.

public:
 System::Security::Cryptography::X509Certificates::X509Certificate2Collection ^ Find(System::Security::Cryptography::X509Certificates::X509FindType findType, System::Object ^ findValue, bool validOnly);
public System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate2Collection Find (System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509FindType findType, object findValue, bool validOnly);
member this.Find : System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509FindType * obj * bool -> System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate2Collection
Public Function Find (findType As X509FindType, findValue As Object, validOnly As Boolean) As X509Certificate2Collection

Parameters

findType
X509FindType

One of the X509FindType values.

findValue
Object

The search criteria as an object.

validOnly
Boolean

true to allow only valid certificates to be returned from the search; otherwise, false.

Returns

An X509Certificate2Collection object.

Exceptions

findType is invalid.

Examples

The following code example opens the current user's personal certificate store, finds only valid certificates, allows the user to select a certificate, and then writes certificate and certificate chain information to the console. The output depends on the certificate the user selects.

#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Security.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Security::Cryptography;
using namespace System::Security::Permissions;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Security::Cryptography::X509Certificates;
int main()
{
   try
   {
      X509Store ^ store = gcnew X509Store( "MY",StoreLocation::CurrentUser );
      store->Open( static_cast<OpenFlags>(OpenFlags::ReadOnly | OpenFlags::OpenExistingOnly) );
      X509Certificate2Collection ^ collection = dynamic_cast<X509Certificate2Collection^>(store->Certificates);
      X509Certificate2Collection ^ fcollection = dynamic_cast<X509Certificate2Collection^>(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: {0}{1}", scollection->Count, Environment::NewLine );
      System::Collections::IEnumerator^ myEnum = scollection->GetEnumerator();
      while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
      {
         X509Certificate2 ^ x509 = safe_cast<X509Certificate2 ^>(myEnum->Current);
         array<Byte>^rawdata = x509->RawData;
         Console::WriteLine( "Content Type: {0}{1}", X509Certificate2::GetCertContentType( rawdata ), Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Friendly Name: {0}{1}", x509->FriendlyName, Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Certificate Verified?: {0}{1}", x509->Verify(), Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Simple Name: {0}{1}", x509->GetNameInfo( X509NameType::SimpleName, true ), Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Signature Algorithm: {0}{1}", x509->SignatureAlgorithm->FriendlyName, Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Private Key: {0}{1}", x509->PrivateKey->ToXmlString( false ), Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Public Key: {0}{1}", x509->PublicKey->Key->ToXmlString( false ), Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Certificate Archived?: {0}{1}", x509->Archived, Environment::NewLine );
         Console::WriteLine( "Length of Raw Data: {0}{1}", x509->RawData->Length, Environment::NewLine );
         x509->Reset();
      }
      store->Close();
   }
   catch ( CryptographicException^ ) 
   {
      Console::WriteLine( "Information could not be written out for this certificate." );
   }

}
using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Permissions;
using System.IO;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;

class CertSelect
{
    static void Main()
    {
        X509Store store = new X509Store("MY",StoreLocation.CurrentUser);
        store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly | OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly);

        X509Certificate2Collection collection = (X509Certificate2Collection)store.Certificates;
        X509Certificate2Collection fcollection = (X509Certificate2Collection)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: {0}{1}",scollection.Count,Environment.NewLine);

        foreach (X509Certificate2 x509 in scollection)
        {
            try
            {
                byte[] rawdata = x509.RawData;
                Console.WriteLine("Content Type: {0}{1}",X509Certificate2.GetCertContentType(rawdata),Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Friendly Name: {0}{1}",x509.FriendlyName,Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Certificate Verified?: {0}{1}",x509.Verify(),Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Simple Name: {0}{1}",x509.GetNameInfo(X509NameType.SimpleName,true),Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Signature Algorithm: {0}{1}",x509.SignatureAlgorithm.FriendlyName,Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Public Key: {0}{1}",x509.PublicKey.Key.ToXmlString(false),Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Certificate Archived?: {0}{1}",x509.Archived,Environment.NewLine);
                Console.WriteLine("Length of Raw Data: {0}{1}",x509.RawData.Length,Environment.NewLine);
                X509Certificate2UI.DisplayCertificate(x509);
                x509.Reset();
            }
            catch (CryptographicException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Information could not be written out for this certificate.");
            }
        }
        store.Close();
    }
}
Imports System.Security.Cryptography
Imports System.Security.Permissions
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates

Class CertSelect

    Shared Sub Main()

        Dim store As New X509Store("MY", StoreLocation.CurrentUser)
        store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly Or OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly)

        Dim collection As X509Certificate2Collection = CType(store.Certificates, X509Certificate2Collection)
        Dim fcollection As X509Certificate2Collection = CType(collection.Find(X509FindType.FindByTimeValid, DateTime.Now, False), X509Certificate2Collection)
        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)
        Console.WriteLine("Number of certificates: {0}{1}", scollection.Count, Environment.NewLine)
         
        For Each x509 As X509Certificate2 In scollection
            Try
                Dim rawdata As Byte() = x509.RawData
                Console.WriteLine("Content Type: {0}{1}", X509Certificate2.GetCertContentType(rawdata), Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Friendly Name: {0}{1}", x509.FriendlyName, Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Certificate Verified?: {0}{1}", x509.Verify(), Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Simple Name: {0}{1}", x509.GetNameInfo(X509NameType.SimpleName, True), Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Signature Algorithm: {0}{1}", x509.SignatureAlgorithm.FriendlyName, Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Public Key: {0}{1}", x509.PublicKey.Key.ToXmlString(False), Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Certificate Archived?: {0}{1}", x509.Archived, Environment.NewLine)
                Console.WriteLine("Length of Raw Data: {0}{1}", x509.RawData.Length, Environment.NewLine)
                X509Certificate2UI.DisplayCertificate(x509)
                x509.Reset()         
             Catch cExcept As CryptographicException
                 Console.WriteLine("Information could not be written out for this certificate.")
             End Try
        Next x509

        store.Close()
    End Sub
End Class

Remarks

Use this method to find X509Certificate2 objects if no user interaction is needed. Use the Find method to allow the user to select X509Certificate2 objects.

Note that this method can be used in a cascading or nested style, narrowing the search criteria with each call to the method.

Applies to