X500DistinguishedName Class

Definition

Represents the distinguished name of an X509 certificate. This class cannot be inherited.

public ref class X500DistinguishedName sealed : System::Security::Cryptography::AsnEncodedData
public sealed class X500DistinguishedName : System.Security.Cryptography.AsnEncodedData
type X500DistinguishedName = class
    inherit AsnEncodedData
Public NotInheritable Class X500DistinguishedName
Inherits AsnEncodedData
Inheritance
X500DistinguishedName

Examples

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

#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);
         X500DistinguishedName ^ dname = gcnew X500DistinguishedName( x509->SubjectName );
         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." );
   }

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

class X500Sample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        try
        {
            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)
            {
                X500DistinguishedName dname = new X500DistinguishedName(x509.SubjectName);
                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
Imports System.Security.Permissions
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates



Class X500Sample
   Shared 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 = 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)
     msg = "Number of certificates: " & scollection.Count & Environment.NewLine
     MsgBox(msg)
         Dim x509 As X509Certificate2
         For Each x509 In  scollection
            Dim dname As New X500DistinguishedName(x509.SubjectName)
        msg = "X500DistinguishedName: " & dname.Name & Environment.NewLine
     MsgBox(msg)
            x509.Reset()
         Next x509
         store.Close()
     Catch e As Exception
            msg = "Error: Information could not be written out for this certificate."
            MsgBox(msg)
      End Try
   End Sub
End Class

Remarks

This class is like an extension to the SubjectName or IssuerName property, which is the name of the person or entity that the certificate is being issued to. X.500 is an international standard for distributed directory services. The distinguished name uses the following format:

[X500:/C=CountryCode/O=Organization/OU=OrganizationUnit/CN=CommonName]

The following field length limits apply:

Field Length Limit
CountryCode 2 characters
Organization Up to 64 characters
OrganizationUnit Up to 32 characters
CommonName Up to 64 characters

The following guidelines apply:

  • Field values can be uppercase or lowercase.

  • Delimiters are slash marks (/) and must appear before the first value and between subsequent values.

  • Delimiters can be followed by a space.

The following is an example of a correctly formatted name: [X500:/ C=US/ O=Microsoft/ OU=WGA/ CN=TedSt]

Constructors

X500DistinguishedName(AsnEncodedData)

Initializes a new instance of the X500DistinguishedName class using the specified AsnEncodedData object.

X500DistinguishedName(Byte[])

Initializes a new instance of the X500DistinguishedName class using information from the specified byte array.

X500DistinguishedName(ReadOnlySpan<Byte>)

Initializes a new instance of the X500DistinguishedName class using information from the provided data.

X500DistinguishedName(String)

Initializes a new instance of the X500DistinguishedName class using information from the specified string.

X500DistinguishedName(String, X500DistinguishedNameFlags)

Initializes a new instance of the X500DistinguishedName class using the specified string and X500DistinguishedNameFlags flag.

X500DistinguishedName(X500DistinguishedName)

Initializes a new instance of the X500DistinguishedName class using the specified X500DistinguishedName object.

Properties

Name

Gets the comma-delimited distinguished name from an X500 certificate.

Oid

Gets or sets the Oid value for an AsnEncodedData object.

(Inherited from AsnEncodedData)
RawData

Gets or sets the Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)-encoded data represented in a byte array.

(Inherited from AsnEncodedData)

Methods

CopyFrom(AsnEncodedData)

Copies information from an AsnEncodedData object.

(Inherited from AsnEncodedData)
Decode(X500DistinguishedNameFlags)

Decodes a distinguished name using the characteristics specified by the flag parameter.

EnumerateRelativeDistinguishedNames(Boolean)

Iterates over the RelativeDistinguishedName values within this distinguished name value.

Equals(Object)

Determines whether the specified object is equal to the current object.

(Inherited from Object)
Format(Boolean)

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

GetHashCode()

Serves as the default hash function.

(Inherited from Object)
GetType()

Gets the Type of the current instance.

(Inherited from Object)
MemberwiseClone()

Creates a shallow copy of the current Object.

(Inherited from Object)
ToString()

Returns a string that represents the current object.

(Inherited from Object)

Applies to