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CertAddEncodedCertificateToStore function (wincrypt.h)

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The CertAddEncodedCertificateToStore function creates a certificate context from an encoded certificate and adds it to the certificate store. The context created does not include any extended properties.

The CertAddEncodedCertificateToStore function also makes a copy of the encoded certificate before adding the certificate to the store.

Syntax

BOOL CertAddEncodedCertificateToStore(
  [in]            HCERTSTORE     hCertStore,
  [in]            DWORD          dwCertEncodingType,
  [in]            const BYTE     *pbCertEncoded,
  [in]            DWORD          cbCertEncoded,
  [in]            DWORD          dwAddDisposition,
  [out, optional] PCCERT_CONTEXT *ppCertContext
);

Parameters

[in] hCertStore

A handle to the certificate store.

[in] dwCertEncodingType

Specifies the type of encoding used. It is always acceptable to specify both the certificate and message encoding types by combining them with a bitwise-OR operation as shown in the following example:

X509_ASN_ENCODING | PKCS_7_ASN_ENCODING Currently defined encoding types are:

  • X509_ASN_ENCODING
  • PKCS_7_ASN_ENCODING

[in] pbCertEncoded

A pointer to a buffer containing the encoded certificate that is to be added to the certificate store.

[in] cbCertEncoded

The size, in bytes, of the pbCertEncoded buffer.

[in] dwAddDisposition

Specifies the action to take if a matching certificate or link to a matching certificate exists in the store. Currently defined disposition values and their uses are as follows.

Value Meaning
CERT_STORE_ADD_ALWAYS
 The function makes no check for an existing matching certificate or link to a matching certificate. A new certificate is always added to the store. This can lead to duplicates in a store.
CERT_STORE_ADD_NEW
 If a matching certificate or a link to a matching certificate exists in the store, the operation fails. GetLastError returns the CRYPT_E_EXISTS code.
CERT_STORE_ADD_REPLACE_EXISTING
 If a matching certificate or link to a matching certificate exists in the store, the existing certificate or link is deleted and a new certificate is created and added to the store. If a matching certificate or link to a matching certificate does not exist, a new certificate is created and added to the store.
CERT_STORE_ADD_REPLACE_EXISTING_INHERIT_PROPERTIES
 If a matching certificate exists in the store, that existing context is deleted before creating and adding the new context. The new context inherits properties from the existing certificate.
CERT_STORE_ADD_USE_EXISTING
 If a matching certificate or a link to a matching certificate exists, that existing certificate or link is used and properties from the new certificate are added. The function does not fail, but it does not add a new context. If ppCertContext is not NULL, the existing context is duplicated.

If a matching certificate or link to a matching certificate does not exist, a new certificate is added.

[out, optional] ppCertContext

A pointer to a pointer to the decoded certificate context. This is an optional parameter that can be NULL, indicating that the calling application does not require a copy of the new or existing certificate. When a copy is made, its context must be freed by using CertFreeCertificateContext.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is TRUE.

If the function fails, the return value is FALSE. For extended error information, call GetLastError. Some possible error codes follow.

Return code Description
CRYPT_E_EXISTS
 This code is returned if CERT_STORE_ADD_NEW is set and the certificate already exists in the store, or if CERT_STORE_ADD_NEWER is set and there is a certificate in the store with a NotBefore date greater than or equal to the NotBefore date on the certificate to be added.
E_INVALIDARG
 A disposition value that is not valid was specified in the dwAddDisposition parameter, or a certificate encoding type that is not valid was specified. Currently, only the X509_ASN_ENCODING type is supported.
 

If the function fails, GetLastError returns an Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1) encoding/decoding error. For information about these errors, see ASN.1 Encoding/Decoding Return Values.

Requirements

Requirement Value
Minimum supported client Windows XP [desktop apps | UWP apps]
Minimum supported server Windows Server 2003 [desktop apps | UWP apps]
Target Platform Windows
Header wincrypt.h
Library Crypt32.lib
DLL Crypt32.dll

See also

CertAddCertificateContextToStore

CertFreeCertificateContext

Certificate Functions