Sample code for 30+ languages & platforms
Delphi ActiveX

Load a Private Key from BinData (Any Format)

See more Private Key Examples

Demonstrates the Chilkat PrivateKey.LoadAnyFormat method, which loads a private key by inspecting the bytes in a BinData. The first argument is the BinData and the second is the password (used if the detected key is encrypted).

Note: The file path is relative to the application's current working directory. Absolute paths may also be used. Supply the path to your own key file.

Background: When you have key bytes in memory but do not know their exact format — downloaded, decrypted, or pulled from a database — this figures it out for you, recognizing PKCS #1/#8 DER, encrypted PKCS #8, PEM, JWK, Chilkat XML, Microsoft formats, and more. It removes the guesswork of choosing a specific loader, at the small cost of the detection step. Supply the password so it can decrypt an encrypted key without a second call.

Chilkat Delphi ActiveX Downloads

Delphi ActiveX
var
success: Integer;
bd: TChilkatBinData;
privKey: TPrivateKey;
password: WideString;

begin
success := 0;

//  Demonstrates the PrivateKey.LoadAnyFormat method, which loads a private key by inspecting the
//  bytes in a BinData.  The 1st argument is the BinData and the 2nd is the password (used if the
//  detected key is encrypted).

bd := TChilkatBinData.Create(Self);
success := bd.LoadFile('qa_data/some_private_key');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(bd.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

privKey := TPrivateKey.Create(Self);

//  The key password is not hard-coded in a real application; obtain it from an interactive
//  prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
password := 'myKeyPassword';

//  Chilkat auto-detects the representation: PKCS #1/#8 DER, encrypted PKCS #8, PEM, JWK,
//  Chilkat XML, Microsoft formats, and more.
success := privKey.LoadAnyFormat(bd.ControlInterface,password);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(privKey.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

Memo1.Lines.Add('Loaded a ' + privKey.KeyType + ' private key.');