PrivateKey Swift Reference Documentation

CkoPrivateKey

Current Version: 11.5.0

PrivateKey

Load, inspect, export, save, and convert one private key.

PrivateKey is a key-container class. It holds one current RSA, DSA, EC, or Ed25519 private key and provides format conversion, persistence, JWK/XML access, raw EC and Ed25519 access, and public-key extraction. Cryptographic operations such as signing, decryption, TLS authentication, and SSH authentication are performed by other Chilkat classes that receive the loaded PrivateKey.

Content-based loading

Named load methods inspect the content and recognize supported unencrypted formats. Password-taking loaders also recognize encrypted PKCS #8 and unencrypted input.

Standard export choices

Use PKCS #8 for modern algorithm-independent interchange, encrypted PKCS #8 for password-protected storage, JWK for JOSE, and traditional PEM only when required by a legacy consumer.

One-key state

A successful load replaces the current key. A failed load leaves the object empty. Check KeyType and BitLength after loading when the expected algorithm matters.

Independent public key

ToPublicKey creates an independent PublicKey that is unaffected when this object is reloaded with another key.

Key generation

Generate new keys with Rsa, Ecc, or EdDSA, which can place the generated key into a PrivateKey.

Certificates are separate

A private key does not contain a certificate or chain. Use Cert or Pfx when certificate association is required.

Recommended format selection: Prefer unencrypted PKCS #8 for transient interchange, encrypted PKCS #8 with aes256 and a strong password for stored key files, JWK for JWT/JWS/JWE workflows, and traditional RSA or EC PEM only when the receiving software requires it.
Protect private material: Base64, hexadecimal, PEM, JWK, and XML are encodings or containers, not encryption. Avoid exporting a private key unless necessary, and protect every unencrypted representation as sensitive data.

Object Creation

let obj = CkoPrivateKey()!

Properties

BitLength
bitLength: Int (read-only)
Introduced in version 9.5.0.49

Returns the nominal size of the loaded private key, in bits. The value is 0 when the object is empty. For RSA it is the modulus size; for DSA it is the size of p; for EC it is the named-curve field size; and for Ed25519 it is 256.

Comparing strength: Bit lengths are meaningful only within the context of the algorithm. A 256-bit EC key and a 256-bit RSA key do not provide comparable security.

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DebugLogFilePath
debugLogFilePath: String!

If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.

Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.

Possible causes of hangs include:

  • A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
  • A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
  • An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.

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KeyType
keyType: String! (read-only)
Introduced in version 9.5.0.52

Identifies the algorithm of the currently loaded key. The value is one of empty, rsa, dsa, ecc, or ed25519. empty means that no usable private key is loaded.

One-key state model: A PrivateKey object holds one current key. Loading another key replaces it; a failed load leaves the object empty.

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LastErrorHtml
lastErrorHtml: String! (read-only)

Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

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LastErrorText
lastErrorText: String! (read-only)

Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

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LastErrorXml
lastErrorXml: String! (read-only)

Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

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LastMethodSuccess
lastMethodSuccess: Bool

Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: true means success, false means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.

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Pkcs8EncryptAlg
pkcs8EncryptAlg: String!
Introduced in version 9.5.0.49

Controls the block cipher used by encrypted PKCS #8 export methods. Supported values are 3des, aes128, aes192, and aes256. Values are case-insensitive and are normalized to lowercase. The default is 3des. Assigning an empty or unrecognized value resets the property to 3des. All choices use CBC mode.

Encrypted PKCS #8 output uses PBES2 with PBKDF2. The generated parameters use an 8-byte salt, 2048 PBKDF2 iterations, and the default PBKDF2 PRF (HMAC-SHA-1). The selected cipher uses CBC mode with a newly generated IV.

Recommended setting: Prefer aes256 for new output unless an older consumer requires 3DES. This property selects encryption parameters only; password quality remains essential.

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UncommonOptions
uncommonOptions: String!
Introduced in version 9.5.0.96

Provides a catch-all string for specialized compatibility options that are not exposed as ordinary properties. The default is the empty string, which is appropriate for normal use.

Leave empty unless instructed: Set this property only when a Chilkat example, release note, or support response documents a specific option needed for an unusual interoperability case.

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VerboseLogging
verboseLogging: Bool

If set to true, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is false. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.

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Version
version: String! (read-only)

Version of the component/library, such as "10.1.0"

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Methods

GetJwk
getJwk() -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.66

Exports the key as a compact JWK (JSON Web Key). Binary integers and byte strings use Base64url without padding.

Key typeMembers emitted
RSAkty, n, e, d, p, q, dp, dq, qi
ECkty, crv, x, y, d
Ed25519kty=OKP, crv=Ed25519, x, d, and use=sig
Key material only: Optional JOSE metadata loaded from a JWK, such as kid, alg, key_ops, or a caller-supplied use, is not retained for re-export. The Ed25519 use=sig member is emitted by Chilkat.
Private output: The returned JSON contains private key material and must be protected accordingly.

Returns nil on failure

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GetJwkThumbprint
getJwkThumbprint(hashAlg: String) -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.66

Computes the RFC 7638 thumbprint of the public portion of the loaded key using the hash algorithm named by . Supported values include md5, sha1, sha256, sha384, and sha512. An unsupported name causes the method to fail. The returned digest is Base64url-encoded without padding.

Public-key identity: The canonical thumbprint input contains only the required public JWK members. Private members and optional metadata such as kid, use, and alg are excluded, so the result matches the thumbprint of the corresponding PublicKey.
Recommended hash: Use sha256 for normal RFC 7638 interoperability. MD5 and SHA-1 are available for compatibility but should not be chosen for new security-sensitive identifiers.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs1
getPkcs1() -> NSData
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Exports the key as the traditional or preferred unencrypted binary DER representation.

Historical method name: PKCS #1 is specifically an RSA standard. For non-RSA key types, this method returns the applicable traditional structure or a PKCS #8 fallback.
Key typeReturned representation
RSARSAPrivateKey DER from PKCS #1.
DSAThe traditional six-integer DSA private-key structure.
ECECPrivateKey DER from RFC 5915.
Ed25519PKCS #8 PrivateKeyInfo DER using the Ed25519 OID 1.3.101.112, because Ed25519 has no traditional PKCS #1 form.

For RSA, the DER contains:

RSAPrivateKey ::= SEQUENCE {
    version           Version,
    modulus           INTEGER,  -- n
    publicExponent    INTEGER,  -- e
    privateExponent   INTEGER,  -- d
    prime1            INTEGER,  -- p
    prime2            INTEGER,  -- q
    exponent1         INTEGER,  -- d mod (p-1)
    exponent2         INTEGER,  -- d mod (q-1)
    coefficient       INTEGER,  -- (inverse of q) mod p
    otherPrimeInfos   OtherPrimeInfos OPTIONAL
}

For EC, the traditional structure is:

ECPrivateKey ::= SEQUENCE {
    version        INTEGER { ecPrivkeyVer1(1) },
    privateKey     OCTET STRING,
    parameters [0] ECParameters OPTIONAL,
    publicKey  [1] BIT STRING OPTIONAL
}
Modern binary API: For new code, GetPkcsBd returns the same family of representations in a BinData.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs1ENC
getPkcs1ENC(encoding: String) -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.52

Exports the key as the traditional or preferred unencrypted DER representation and encodes the DER as text using the binary encoding named by . The binary bytes are the same as returned by GetPkcs1.

Historical method name: PKCS #1 is specifically an RSA standard. For non-RSA key types, this method returns the applicable traditional structure or a PKCS #8 fallback.
Key typeReturned representation
RSARSAPrivateKey DER from PKCS #1.
DSAThe traditional six-integer DSA private-key structure.
ECECPrivateKey DER from RFC 5915.
Ed25519PKCS #8 PrivateKeyInfo DER using the Ed25519 OID 1.3.101.112, because Ed25519 has no traditional PKCS #1 form.

For RSA, the DER contains:

RSAPrivateKey ::= SEQUENCE {
    version           Version,
    modulus           INTEGER,  -- n
    publicExponent    INTEGER,  -- e
    privateExponent   INTEGER,  -- d
    prime1            INTEGER,  -- p
    prime2            INTEGER,  -- q
    exponent1         INTEGER,  -- d mod (p-1)
    exponent2         INTEGER,  -- d mod (q-1)
    coefficient       INTEGER,  -- (inverse of q) mod p
    otherPrimeInfos   OtherPrimeInfos OPTIONAL
}

For EC, the traditional structure is:

ECPrivateKey ::= SEQUENCE {
    version        INTEGER { ecPrivkeyVer1(1) },
    privateKey     OCTET STRING,
    parameters [0] ECParameters OPTIONAL,
    publicKey  [1] BIT STRING OPTIONAL
}
Encoding validation: An unsupported encoding name causes the method to fail; it does not silently select another encoding.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs1Pem
getPkcs1Pem() -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Exports the key as unencrypted PEM, preferring the traditional algorithm-specific representation when one exists.

Key typePEM labelBody
RSARSA PRIVATE KEYPKCS #1 DER
DSADSA PRIVATE KEYTraditional DSA DER
ECEC PRIVATE KEYRFC 5915 DER
Ed25519PRIVATE KEYPKCS #8 DER
Generated PEM formatting: PEM output uses CRLF line endings, Base64 lines of at most 64 characters, and a final CRLF.
Security note: The returned private key is not encrypted.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs8
getPkcs8() -> NSData

Exports the key as unencrypted PKCS #8 DER. PKCS #8 is an algorithm-independent private-key container. Chilkat emits the classic version-0 PrivateKeyInfo structure, with the algorithm-specific private-key DER in an OCTET STRING.

PrivateKeyInfo ::= SEQUENCE {
    version                   Version,
    privateKeyAlgorithm       AlgorithmIdentifier,
    privateKey                OCTET STRING,
    attributes           [0]  IMPLICIT Attributes OPTIONAL
}
Security note: PKCS #8 is a container format and is not inherently encrypted. This method returns cleartext private-key material.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs8ENC
getPkcs8ENC(encoding: String) -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.52

Exports the key as unencrypted PKCS #8 DER and encodes the DER as text using the binary encoding named by . PKCS #8 is an algorithm-independent private-key container. Chilkat emits the classic version-0 PrivateKeyInfo structure, with the algorithm-specific private-key DER in an OCTET STRING.

PrivateKeyInfo ::= SEQUENCE {
    version                   Version,
    privateKeyAlgorithm       AlgorithmIdentifier,
    privateKey                OCTET STRING,
    attributes           [0]  IMPLICIT Attributes OPTIONAL
}
Encoding validation: An unsupported encoding name causes the method to fail; it does not silently select another encoding.
Encoding is not encryption: Base64, hexadecimal, and similar encodings only represent the DER bytes as text. They do not protect the private key.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs8Encrypted
getPkcs8Encrypted(password: String) -> NSData

Exports the key as password-protected PKCS #8 DER using as the password. The block cipher is selected by Pkcs8EncryptAlg.

EncryptedPrivateKeyInfo ::= SEQUENCE {
    encryptionAlgorithm  AlgorithmIdentifier,
    encryptedData        OCTET STRING
}

Encrypted PKCS #8 output uses PBES2 with PBKDF2. The generated parameters use an 8-byte salt, 2048 PBKDF2 iterations, and the default PBKDF2 PRF (HMAC-SHA-1). The selected cipher uses CBC mode with a newly generated IV.

Empty passwords: An empty still produces an encrypted PKCS #8 container that can be reopened with an empty password, but it provides no meaningful password protection.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs8EncryptedENC
getPkcs8EncryptedENC(encoding: String, password: String) -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.52

Exports the key as password-protected PKCS #8 DER, then encodes the encrypted DER as text. names the binary encoding and password supplies the password. The cipher is selected by Pkcs8EncryptAlg.

Encrypted PKCS #8 output uses PBES2 with PBKDF2. The generated parameters use an 8-byte salt, 2048 PBKDF2 iterations, and the default PBKDF2 PRF (HMAC-SHA-1). The selected cipher uses CBC mode with a newly generated IV.

Encoding validation: An unsupported encoding name causes the method to fail.
Empty passwords: A nonempty, strong password should be used. An empty password is accepted but provides no meaningful password protection.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs8EncryptedPem
getPkcs8EncryptedPem(password: String) -> String

Exports the key as password-protected PKCS #8 PEM using as the password. The cipher is selected by Pkcs8EncryptAlg. The output uses:

-----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
...
-----END ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----

Encrypted PKCS #8 output uses PBES2 with PBKDF2. The generated parameters use an 8-byte salt, 2048 PBKDF2 iterations, and the default PBKDF2 PRF (HMAC-SHA-1). The selected cipher uses CBC mode with a newly generated IV.

Generated PEM formatting: PEM output uses CRLF line endings, Base64 lines of at most 64 characters, and a final CRLF.
Empty passwords: An empty is accepted and still produces encrypted PKCS #8, but it provides no meaningful password protection.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcs8Pem
getPkcs8Pem() -> String

Exports the key as unencrypted PKCS #8 PEM. For RSA, EC, and Ed25519, the PEM armor is:

-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
...
-----END PRIVATE KEY-----
PKCS #8 is an algorithm-independent private-key container. Chilkat emits the classic version-0 PrivateKeyInfo structure, with the algorithm-specific private-key DER in an OCTET STRING.
PrivateKeyInfo ::= SEQUENCE {
    version                   Version,
    privateKeyAlgorithm       AlgorithmIdentifier,
    privateKey                OCTET STRING,
    attributes           [0]  IMPLICIT Attributes OPTIONAL
}
Generated PEM formatting: PEM output uses CRLF line endings, Base64 lines of at most 64 characters, and a final CRLF.
Security note: This output is not password-protected.

Returns nil on failure

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GetPkcsBd
getPkcsBd(pkcs1: Bool, password: String, bd: CkoBinData) -> Bool
Introduced in version 11.0.0

Exports the key as DER and replaces the contents of the BinData in bd.

passwordOutput
trueIgnored for encryption.RSA PKCS #1, traditional DSA, RFC 5915 EC, or PKCS #8 for Ed25519.
falseEmpty string.Unencrypted PKCS #8 DER.
falseNonempty password.Encrypted PKCS #8 DER using Pkcs8EncryptAlg.
Output state: A successful call replaces any existing bd content. If the call fails, bd is cleared.
Password behavior: When is true, password does not encrypt the output. To obtain encrypted output, set to false and provide a nonempty password.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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GetRawHex
getRawHex(pubKey: CkoStringBuilder) -> String
Introduced in version 9.5.0.83

Exports the raw private value as lowercase hexadecimal and replaces the contents of the StringBuilder in with the corresponding raw public key.

Key typeReturned private valuePublic value in
Ed25519The 32-byte seed accepted by LoadEd25519, as 64 hex characters.The 32-byte public key, as 64 hex characters.
ECThe private scalar, padded to the curve size as needed.The uncompressed point 04 || HEX(x) || HEX(y).
Applicable key types: This method supports Ed25519 and ordinary EC keys. RSA and DSA keys do not have a single simple raw representation and cause the method to fail.
Output on failure: If the method fails, is cleared.

Returns nil on failure

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GetXml
getXml() -> String

Exports the key in Chilkat-compatible XML. The XML is not encrypted. RSA and DSA components use ordinary Base64.

RSA keys use:

<RSAKeyValue>
  <Modulus>...</Modulus>
  <Exponent>...</Exponent>
  <D>...</D>
  <P>...</P>
  <Q>...</Q>
  <DP>...</DP>
  <DQ>...</DQ>
  <InverseQ>...</InverseQ>
</RSAKeyValue>

DSA keys use:

<DSAKeyValue>
  <P>...</P>
  <Q>...</Q>
  <G>...</G>
  <Y>...</Y>
  <X>...</X>
</DSAKeyValue>

EC keys place the named curve in the curve attribute and Base64-encode the RFC 5915 ECPrivateKey DER in the element content:

<ECCKeyValue curve="secp256r1">...</ECCKeyValue>

Ed25519 keys Base64-encode 64 bytes consisting of the 32-byte private seed followed by the 32-byte public key:

<Ed25519KeyValue>...</Ed25519KeyValue>
Round-trip support: XML produced by this method can be loaded by LoadXml, LoadXmlFile, or the general format-detection methods.
Interoperability note: These XML forms are Chilkat-compatible representations. Prefer PKCS #8, PEM, or JWK when interoperating with systems that expect standard key containers.

Returns nil on failure

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LoadAnyFormat
loadAnyFormat(privKeyData: CkoBinData, password: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.75

Loads a private key from the data in by inspecting its contents. Recognized representations include RSA PKCS #1 DER, traditional DSA and EC DER, PKCS #8 DER, encrypted PKCS #8, PEM, JWK, Chilkat-compatible XML, Microsoft PVK, and supported Ed25519 representations. password supplies the password when the detected representation is encrypted; otherwise it may be empty.

Text and binary input: contains the exact bytes to inspect. Textual PEM, JWK, and XML are detected from those bytes; a filename extension is not involved.
Trailing DER data: If the input begins with one complete supported DER key followed by extra bytes or another DER object, the first key is loaded and trailing data is ignored.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadAnyFormatFile
loadAnyFormatFile(path: String, password: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.83

Loads a private key from the file at by inspecting its contents. Recognized representations include RSA PKCS #1 DER, traditional DSA and EC DER, PKCS #8 DER, encrypted PKCS #8, PEM, JWK, Chilkat-compatible XML, Microsoft PVK, and supported Ed25519 representations. password supplies the password when needed.

Filename extensions are advisory: The file content determines the format; a nonstandard or misleading extension does not prevent recognition.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadEd25519
loadEd25519(privKey: String, pubKey: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.83

Loads an Ed25519 key pair from raw hexadecimal values. is the 32-byte Ed25519 private seed. pubKey is the 32-byte public key. Each nonempty value must contain exactly 64 hexadecimal digits. Uppercase hexadecimal and an optional 0x prefix are accepted; embedded whitespace is not accepted. pubKey may be empty, in which case Chilkat derives the public key from the seed.

Supplied public key is not verified: When pubKey is nonempty, Chilkat stores the supplied public value without checking that it corresponds to . Pass an empty pubKey when the public key should be derived and guaranteed to match the private seed.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadEncryptedPem
loadEncryptedPem(pemStr: String, password: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the PEM text in . password supplies the password when the PEM is encrypted. The method accepts encrypted PKCS #8 PEM and also loads supported unencrypted PEM.

-----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
...
-----END ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----
Content auto-detection: Chilkat examines the content rather than relying on the method name or filename extension. This password-taking method can load both encrypted and unencrypted supported private-key representations.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.
Password failure: An incorrect password causes loading to fail and leaves this object empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadEncryptedPemFile
loadEncryptedPemFile(path: String, password: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the file at , using password when the detected key is encrypted. The file may contain encrypted PKCS #8 PEM or another supported encrypted or unencrypted representation.

Content auto-detection: Chilkat examines the content rather than relying on the method name or filename extension. This password-taking method can load both encrypted and unencrypted supported private-key representations.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadJwk
loadJwk(jsonStr: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.66

Loads a private key from the JWK JSON in . Supported private JWK key types are RSA (kty=RSA), EC (kty=EC), and Ed25519 (kty=OKP, crv=Ed25519). An unsupported kty causes the method to fail.

Private key material required: A JWK containing only public members belongs in a PublicKey. This method is for JWKs that contain private key material.
Metadata handling: Optional JOSE metadata such as kid, use, alg, and key_ops may be present but is not retained by PrivateKey.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPem
loadPem(str: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the PEM text in . This method has no password argument and therefore cannot load password-protected PEM. Use LoadEncryptedPem for encrypted input.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
PEM block selection: If the text contains multiple PEM blocks, Chilkat selects the first supported private-key block. It skips preceding public-key or unrelated PEM blocks.
Accepted surrounding content: Leading and trailing whitespace, a UTF-8 BOM, and trailing non-PEM text are accepted.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPemFile
loadPemFile(path: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the file at . This method has no password argument and therefore cannot load a password-protected key. Use LoadEncryptedPemFile or LoadAnyFormatFile when a password may be required.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
PEM block selection: For a file containing multiple PEM blocks, Chilkat selects the first supported private-key block and skips preceding public-key or unrelated blocks.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPkcs1
loadPkcs1(data: NSData) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Loads a private key from the in-memory data in . Despite the historical PKCS #1 name, Chilkat examines the content and accepts supported unencrypted RSA, DSA, EC, Ed25519, PKCS #8, PEM, JWK, and XML representations.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.
Modern binary API: For new code that already has a BinData, use LoadAnyFormat.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPkcs1File
loadPkcs1File(path: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Loads a private key from the file at . Despite the historical PKCS #1 name, the method examines the content and accepts supported unencrypted private-key representations.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPkcs8
loadPkcs8(data: NSData) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the in-memory data in . Although this method is named for unencrypted PKCS #8 DER, Chilkat examines the content and accepts other supported unencrypted private-key representations.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.
Modern binary API: For new code that already has a BinData, LoadAnyFormat avoids the older byte-array API.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPkcs8Encrypted
loadPkcs8Encrypted(data: NSData, password: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the in-memory data in , using password when the detected key is encrypted. The method can load encrypted PKCS #8 and other supported encrypted or unencrypted representations.

Content auto-detection: Chilkat examines the content rather than relying on the method name or filename extension. This password-taking method can load both encrypted and unencrypted supported private-key representations.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPkcs8EncryptedFile
loadPkcs8EncryptedFile(path: String, password: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the file at , using password when the detected key is encrypted. The method can load encrypted PKCS #8 DER or PEM and also supported unencrypted representations.

Content auto-detection: Chilkat examines the content rather than relying on the method name or filename extension. This password-taking method can load both encrypted and unencrypted supported private-key representations.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadPkcs8File
loadPkcs8File(path: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the file at . Although named for unencrypted PKCS #8, the method examines the file content and accepts other supported unencrypted private-key representations.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
Trailing DER data: When the file begins with a complete supported DER private-key object, trailing bytes or a second concatenated DER object are ignored; the first key is loaded.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadXml
loadXml(xml: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the XML text in . Supported Chilkat-compatible XML roots include RSAKeyValue, DSAKeyValue, ECCKeyValue, and Ed25519KeyValue.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
Ed25519 XML: The Ed25519KeyValue content is ordinary Base64 for the 32-byte private seed followed by the 32-byte public key.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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LoadXmlFile
loadXmlFile(path: String) -> Bool

Loads a private key from the file at . Chilkat recognizes RSA, DSA, EC, and Ed25519 XML produced by GetXml, and also auto-detects other supported unencrypted private-key representations.

Content auto-detection: The method name identifies the expected or traditional use, but Chilkat examines the content and can load other supported unencrypted private-key representations. Encrypted input requires a load method that accepts a password.
Object state: A successful load replaces any key already held by this object. If loading fails, this object is left empty.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SavePemFile
savePemFile(path: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Saves the key at as unencrypted PEM, preferring a traditional algorithm-specific representation when one exists. RSA uses RSA PRIVATE KEY, DSA uses DSA PRIVATE KEY, EC uses EC PRIVATE KEY, and Ed25519 uses the PKCS #8 PRIVATE KEY form.

Generated PEM formatting: PEM output uses CRLF line endings, Base64 lines of at most 64 characters, and a final CRLF.
File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
PKCS #8 alternative: Use SavePkcs8PemFile to always request the algorithm-independent PKCS #8 PRIVATE KEY form.
Security note: The file is not password-protected.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SavePkcs1File
savePkcs1File(path: String) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.58

Saves the key at using the traditional or preferred unencrypted DER representation.

Historical method name: RSA is saved as PKCS #1, EC as RFC 5915, DSA in its traditional structure, and Ed25519 as PKCS #8 because no traditional PKCS #1 form exists.
File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
Security note: The file contains cleartext private-key material.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SavePkcs8EncryptedFile
savePkcs8EncryptedFile(password: String, path: String) -> Bool

Saves the key as password-protected PKCS #8 DER. supplies the password and path is the destination path. The cipher is selected by Pkcs8EncryptAlg.

Encrypted PKCS #8 output uses PBES2 with PBKDF2. The generated parameters use an 8-byte salt, 2048 PBKDF2 iterations, and the default PBKDF2 PRF (HMAC-SHA-1). The selected cipher uses CBC mode with a newly generated IV.

File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
Empty passwords: An empty is accepted but provides no meaningful password protection.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SavePkcs8EncryptedPemFile
savePkcs8EncryptedPemFile(password: String, path: String) -> Bool

Saves the key as password-protected PKCS #8 PEM. supplies the password and path is the destination path. The file uses the ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY PEM label, and the cipher is selected by Pkcs8EncryptAlg.

Encrypted PKCS #8 output uses PBES2 with PBKDF2. The generated parameters use an 8-byte salt, 2048 PBKDF2 iterations, and the default PBKDF2 PRF (HMAC-SHA-1). The selected cipher uses CBC mode with a newly generated IV.

Generated PEM formatting: PEM output uses CRLF line endings, Base64 lines of at most 64 characters, and a final CRLF.
File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
Empty passwords: An empty is accepted but provides no meaningful password protection.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SavePkcs8File
savePkcs8File(path: String) -> Bool

Saves the key as unencrypted PKCS #8 DER at . PKCS #8 is an algorithm-independent private-key container. Chilkat emits the classic version-0 PrivateKeyInfo structure, with the algorithm-specific private-key DER in an OCTET STRING.

PrivateKeyInfo ::= SEQUENCE {
    version                   Version,
    privateKeyAlgorithm       AlgorithmIdentifier,
    privateKey                OCTET STRING,
    attributes           [0]  IMPLICIT Attributes OPTIONAL
}
File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
macOS Keychain: Starting in Chilkat v10.0.0, may be formatted as keychain:<label> to save the private key to the Apple Keychain.
Security note: The file contains cleartext private-key material.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SavePkcs8PemFile
savePkcs8PemFile(path: String) -> Bool

Saves the key as unencrypted PKCS #8 PEM at . The PEM label is PRIVATE KEY for RSA, EC, Ed25519, and other supported PKCS #8 key types.PKCS #8 is an algorithm-independent private-key container. Chilkat emits the classic version-0 PrivateKeyInfo structure, with the algorithm-specific private-key DER in an OCTET STRING.

PrivateKeyInfo ::= SEQUENCE {
    version                   Version,
    privateKeyAlgorithm       AlgorithmIdentifier,
    privateKey                OCTET STRING,
    attributes           [0]  IMPLICIT Attributes OPTIONAL
}
Generated PEM formatting: PEM output uses CRLF line endings, Base64 lines of at most 64 characters, and a final CRLF.
File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
Security note: The file is not password-protected.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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SaveXmlFile
saveXmlFile(path: String) -> Bool

Saves the key as unencrypted Chilkat-compatible XML at . The XML representation is the same as returned by GetXml.

File behavior: An existing destination file is replaced. Parent directories are not created; the parent directory must already exist.
Security note: The XML contains cleartext private-key material.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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ToPublicKey
toPublicKey(pubKey: CkoPublicKey) -> Bool
Introduced in version 11.0.0

Extracts the public portion of the loaded private key and stores an independent copy in the PublicKey supplied in . The resulting public key is unaffected if this PrivateKey is later reloaded with a different key.

Target state on failure: If extraction fails, an existing key already held by is preserved.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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UploadToCloud
upload(toCloud: CkoJsonObject, jsonOut: CkoJsonObject) -> Bool
Introduced in version 9.5.0.96

Uploads or imports the private key to a supported cloud key-management service. toCloud supplies service-specific input parameters as a JsonObject, and jsonOut receives service-specific result information.

Open-ended interface: The required JSON members and returned JSON depend on the target service and operation. Follow the corresponding Chilkat example for AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, or another supported provider rather than assuming one common schema.
Security note: Cloud import operations may transmit private-key material. Use only the provider endpoint, authentication, and transport settings documented for the intended service.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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UploadToCloudAsync (1)
upload(toCloudAsync: CkoJsonObject, jsonOut: CkoJsonObject) -> CkoTask
Introduced in version 9.5.0.96

Creates an asynchronous task to call the UploadToCloud method with the arguments provided.

Note: Async method event callbacks happen in the background thread. Accessing and updating UI elements existing in the main thread may require special considerations.

Returns nil on failure

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Events

To implement an event callback, your application would define and implement a class that inherits from CkoBaseProgress. Your application can implement methods to override some or all of the default/empty method implementations of the CkoBaseProgress base class.

For example:

class MyPrivateKeyProgress : CkoBaseProgress {

    override func ProgressInfo(name: String!, value: String!) {
        // application code goes here...
        print(name + ": " + value)
    }

    override func AbortCheck(abort: UnsafeMutablePointer) {
        // application code goes here...
        // To abort the operation, set this equal to true instead of false.
        abort.memory = false
    }

    override func PercentDone(pctDone: NSNumber!, abort: UnsafeMutablePointer) {
        // application code goes here...
        print(pctDone)
        // To abort the operation, set this equal to true instead of false.
        abort.memory = false
    }

    // For asynchronous method calls.
    override func TaskCompleted(task: CkoTask!) {
        // application code goes here...
    }
}

func someAppFunction() {

    // Demonstrate how to set the event callback object...
    let privatekey = CkoPrivateKey()
    let myPrivateKeyProgress = MyPrivateKeyProgress()
    
    privatekey.setEventCallbackObject(myPrivateKeyProgress)

    // ...
    // ...
    // ...
}

AbortCheck
abortCheck(abort: Bool)

Enables a method call to be aborted by triggering the AbortCheck event at intervals defined by the HeartbeatMs property. If HeartbeatMs is set to its default value of 0, no events will occur. For instance, set HeartbeatMs to 200 to trigger 5 AbortCheck events per second.

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PercentDone
percentDone(pctDone: Int, abort: Bool)

This provides the percentage completion for any method involving network communications or time-consuming processing, assuming the progress can be measured as a percentage. This event is triggered only when it's possible and logical to express the operation's progress as a percentage. The argument will range from 1 to 100. For methods that finish quickly, the number of PercentDone callbacks may vary, but the final callback will have equal to 100. For longer operations, callbacks will not exceed one per percentage point (e.g., 1, 2, 3, ..., 98, 99, 100).

The PercentDone callback also acts as an AbortCheck event. For fast methods where PercentDone fires, an AbortCheck event may not trigger since the PercentDone callback already provides an opportunity to abort. For longer operations, where time between PercentDone callbacks is extended, AbortCheck callbacks enable more responsive operation termination.

To abort the operation, set the abort output argument to true. This will cause the method to terminate and return a failure status or corresponding failure value.

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ProgressInfo
progressInfo(name: String, value: String)

This event callback provides tag name/value pairs that detail what occurs during a method call. To discover existing tag names, create code to handle the event, emit the pairs, and review them. Most tag names are self-explanatory.

Note: Some Chilkat methods don't fire any ProgressInfo events.

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TaskCompleted
taskCompleted(task: CkoTask)

Called from the background thread when an asynchronous task completes.

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Deprecated

GetPublicKey
getPublicKey() -> CkoPublicKey
Introduced in version 9.5.0.52
This method is deprecated and replaced by ToPublicKey

Deprecated. Use ToPublicKey instead. This method creates and returns a PublicKey containing an independent copy of the public portion corresponding to the loaded private key.

Returns nil on failure

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