X500DistinguishedName.Format(Boolean) Method  
Definition
Important
Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.
Returns a formatted version of an X500 distinguished name for printing or for output to a text window or to a console.
public:
 override System::String ^ Format(bool multiLine);public override string Format(bool multiLine);override this.Format : bool -> stringPublic Overrides Function Format (multiLine As Boolean) As StringParameters
- multiLine
- Boolean
true if the return string should contain carriage returns; otherwise, false.
Returns
A formatted string that represents the X500 distinguished name.
Examples
The following code example shows how to use the X500DistinguishedName class.
using System;
using System.Security.Cryptography;
using System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates;
class X500Sample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        try
        {
            X509Store store = new("MY", StoreLocation.CurrentUser);
            store.Open(OpenFlags.ReadOnly | OpenFlags.OpenExistingOnly);
            X509Certificate2Collection collection = store.Certificates;
            X509Certificate2Collection fcollection = 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: {scollection.Count}{Environment.NewLine}");
            foreach (X509Certificate2 x509 in scollection)
            {
                X500DistinguishedName dname = new(
                    x509.SubjectName.Name,
                    X500DistinguishedNameFlags.Reversed | X500DistinguishedNameFlags.UseSemicolons
                    );
                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.X509Certificates
Class X500Sample
    Shared s_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 = store.Certificates
            Dim fcollection As X509Certificate2Collection = collection.Find(X509FindType.FindByTimeValid, Date.Now, False)
            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
                )
            s_msg = "Number of certificates: " & scollection.Count & Environment.NewLine
            Console.WriteLine(s_msg)
            Dim x509 As X509Certificate2
            For Each x509 In scollection
                Dim dname As New X500DistinguishedName(
                x509.SubjectName.Name,
                X500DistinguishedNameFlags.Reversed Or X500DistinguishedNameFlags.UseSemicolons
                )
                s_msg = "X500DistinguishedName: " & dname.Name & Environment.NewLine
                Console.WriteLine(s_msg)
                x509.Reset()
            Next x509
            store.Close()
        Catch e As Exception
            s_msg = "Error: Information could not be written out for this certificate."
            Console.WriteLine(s_msg)
        End Try
    End Sub
End Class
Remarks
Use this method to print Abstract Syntax Notation number One (ASN.1)-encoded data or output the information to a text box. Use the multiLine parameter to control the layout of the output.