Delphi ActiveX

Save a Private Key as a Traditional DER File

Demonstrates the Chilkat PrivateKey.SavePkcs1File method, which saves the key using the traditional/preferred unencrypted DER representation. The only argument is the destination path.

Note: The file paths are relative to the application's current working directory. Absolute paths may also be used. Supply the paths appropriate to your own environment.

Background: This writes the older, algorithm-specific DER structure — useful for compatibility with tools that predate or do not accept PKCS #8. For new work, PKCS #8 (SavePkcs8File) is more interoperable. The output is unencrypted, so protect the file accordingly.

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var
success: Integer;
privKey: TPrivateKey;

begin
success := 0;

//  Load a private key to export.
privKey := TPrivateKey.Create(Self);
success := privKey.LoadPemFile('qa_data/private.pem');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(privKey.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  Save using the traditional/preferred unencrypted DER representation.
success := privKey.SavePkcs1File('qa_output/private_pkcs1.der');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(privKey.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
Memo1.Lines.Add('Saved.');