(VBScript) Get Certificate Distinguished Name in .NET Format

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Certificate distinguished names (DN's), in the real world, can be constructed in various ways. Some systems expect certain ways of doing things. This example demonstrates how to get a DN (or SimpleName) exactly as .NET would return it.

This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.96.

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Dim fso, outFile
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'Create a Unicode (utf-16) output text file.
Set outFile = fso.CreateTextFile("output.txt", True, True)

' For versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0, use CreateObject("Chilkat_9_5_0.Cert")
set cert = CreateObject("Chilkat.Cert")

success = cert.LoadFromFile("qa_data/certs/testCert.cer")
If (success = 0) Then
    outFile.WriteLine(cert.LastErrorText)
    WScript.Quit
End If

' In 99% of all cases, Chilkat already returns the Distinguished Name in the identical format as .NET.
' 
' In most cases, (internal to the certificate) the ASN.1 for the certificate's Subject 
' contains a sesquence of OIDs and values, where each OID is the single item in a SET.
' For example:

' SEQUENCE (3 elem)
'       SET (1 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.6 countryName (X.520 DN component)
'           PrintableString FR
'       SET (1 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.12 title (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String M�decin
'       SET (3 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.42 givenName (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String ALAIN
'       SET (3 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.4 surname (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String DUBOIS RPPS
'       SET (3 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.3 commonName (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String 389900098933

' If we look at the DN, we get this:
subjectDN = cert.SubjectDN
outFile.WriteLine(subjectDN)

' Chilkat produces this:
' C=FR, Title=M�decin, G=ALAIN, SN=DUBOIS RPPS, CN=389900098933

' However, if the certificate's internal ASN.1 groups several items in a single SET,
' such as shown below, Microsoft .NET will produce a DN like this:
' G=ALAIN + SN=DUBOIS RPPS + CN=389900098933, T=M�decin, C=FR

' Notice how the items in the SET are grouped with " + ".
' Also notice the order is reverse, and "T" is used instead of using "Title.
' These are all variations of how a DN might be formatted.
' In practice, there is no correct way because what is needed depends on what is
' required as input to whatever is receiving the DN.

' SEQUENCE (3 elem)
'       SET (1 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.6 countryName (X.520 DN component)
'           PrintableString FR
'       SET (1 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.12 title (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String M�decin
'       SET (3 elem)
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.42 givenName (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String ALAIN
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.4 surname (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String DUBOIS RPPS
'         SEQUENCE (2 elem)
'           OBJECT IDENTIFIER 2.5.4.3 commonName (X.520 DN component)
'           UTF8String 389900098933

' To ensure Chilkat produces the same DN format as .NET, you can specify
' the keyword "DotNetSimpleName" in the UncommonOptions.
' For example:

cert.UncommonOptions = "DotNetSimpleName"

' If the above option is used (which was added in Chilkat v9.5.0.96), then Chilkat
' will produce the DN in the same format as .NET

subjectDN = cert.SubjectDN
outFile.WriteLine(subjectDN)

' Now Chilkat produces this:
' G=ALAIN + SN=DUBOIS RPPS + CN=389900098933, T=M�decin, C=FR

outFile.Close