TChilkatSecureString Delphi ActiveX Reference Documentation

TChilkatSecureString

Current Version: 10.0.0

A string class that stores the characters in memory in 256-bit AES CBC encrypted form. The encryption key will be a randomly-generated key.

Importing the Chilkat ActiveX into Delphi

Important: When upgrading to a new version of Chilkat, make sure to re-imported ActiveX DLL into Delphi to regenerate the files described below.


Chilkat v9.5.*: If using Chilkat v9.5.*, then use "Chilkat_v9_5_0_TLB" instead of "Chilkat_TLB", and the DLLs are named ChilkatAx-9.5.0-win32.dll (or ChilkatAx-9.5.0-x64.dll).


Two things are required to use an ActiveX in Delphi:

  1. The ActiveX DLL needs to be registered via regsvr32 on the system where the Delphi application runs. See How To Register ActiveX DLLs for detailed information.
  2. See also: ActiveX Registration Tutorial
  3. The ActiveX component needs to be "imported". Use the Delphi Import Component Wizard to import the Chilkat type library. This creates the following files: Chilkat_TLB.pas and Chilkat_TLB.dcr. The Chilkat_TLB.pas should be added to your project.

To import the Chilkat type library, do the following:

  1. In the Delphi RAD Studio, select the menu item "Component" --> "Import a Type Library".
  2. Find "Chilkat ActiveX" in the list and select it. This will only appear in the list if the ChilkatAx-win32.dll (or ChilkatAx-x64.dll) has been registered w/ regsvr32.
  3. Check the "Generate Component Wrappers" checkbox.
  4. Select a directory where the unit files (.pas and .dcr) should be generated.
  5. Select "Create Unit" and then "Finish".
  6. Add the .pas to your Delphi project.

To use a Chilkat ActiveX object in your Delphi code, add "Chilkat_TLB" to the "uses" statement. For example:

uses
  Winapi.Windows, Winapi.Messages, System.SysUtils, System.Variants, System.Classes, Vcl.Graphics,
  Vcl.Controls, Vcl.Forms, Vcl.Dialogs, Vcl.StdCtrls, Chilkat_TLB;

Object Creation

var
obj: TChilkatSecureString;
...
begin
obj := TChilkatSecureString.Create(Self);
...
// When finished, free the object instance.
obj.Free();

Properties

LastBinaryResult
property LastBinaryResult: OleVariant readonly

The binary data returned by the last (binary data returning) method called. Only available if Chilkat.Global.KeepBinaryResult is set to 1. This provides a means for obtaining large varbinary results in the SQL Server environment (where limitations exist in getting large amounts of data returned by method calls, but where temp tables can be used for binary properties).

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LastMethodSuccess
property LastMethodSuccess: Integer

Indicate whether the last method call succeeded or failed. A value of 1 indicates success, a value of 0 indicates failure. This property is automatically set for method calls. It is not modified by property accesses. The property is automatically set to indicate success for the following types of method calls:

  • Any method that returns a string.
  • Any method returning a Chilkat object, binary bytes, or a date/time.
  • Any method returning a standard boolean status value where success = 1 and failure = 0.
  • Any method returning an integer where failure is defined by a return value less than zero.

Note: Methods that do not fit the above requirements will always set this property equal to 1. For example, a method that returns no value (such as a "void" in C++) will technically always succeed.

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LastStringResult
property LastStringResult: WideString readonly

The string return value of the last (string returning) method called. Only available if Chilkat.Global.KeepStringResult is set to 1. This provides a means for obtaining large string results in the SQL Server environment (where limitations exist in getting long strings returned by method calls, but where temp tables can be used for string properties).

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LastStringResultLen
property LastStringResultLen: Integer readonly

The length, in characters, of the string contained in the LastStringResult property.

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MaintainHash
property MaintainHash: WideString
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

If set to the name of a hash algorithm, then a hash of the current string value is maintained. This allows for the hash to be verified via the VerifyHash method. Possible hash algorithm names are "sha1", "sha256", "sha384", "sha512", "md5", "md2", "ripemd160", "ripemd128","ripemd256", and "ripemd320".

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ReadOnly
property ReadOnly: Integer
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Can be set to 1 to make this secure string read-only (cannot be modified).

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Methods

Access
function Access(): WideString;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Returns the clear-text string value.

Returns a zero-length WideString on failure

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Append
function Append(str: WideString): Integer;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Appends a clear-text string to this secure string. The in-memory data will be decrypted, the string will be appended, and then it will be re-encrypted. Can return 0 if the string has been marked as read-only via the ReadOnly property.

Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.

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AppendSb
function AppendSb(sb: TChilkatStringBuilder): Integer;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Appends a clear-text string contained in a StringBuilder to this secure string. The in-memory data will be decrypted, the string will be appended, and then it will be re-encrypted. Can return 0 if the string has been marked as read-only via the ReadOnly property.

Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.

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AppendSecure
function AppendSecure(secStr: TChilkatSecureString): Integer;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Appends the contents of a secure string to this secure string. The in-memory data will be decrypted, the secure string will be appended, and then it will be re-encrypted. Can return 0 if this string has been marked as read-only via the ReadOnly property.

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HashVal
function HashVal(encoding: WideString): WideString;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Returns the hash value for the current value of this secure string. The encoding specifies the encoding to be used. It can be any of the binary encoding algorithms, such as "base64", "hex", and many more listed at Chilkat Binary Encodings

Returns a zero-length WideString on failure

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LoadFile
function LoadFile(path: WideString; charset: WideString): Integer;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Loads the contents of a file into this secure string. The current contents of this object are replaced with the new text from the file.

Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.

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SecStrEquals
function SecStrEquals(secStr: TChilkatSecureString): Integer;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Returns 1 if the secStr equals the contents of this secure string.

Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.

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VerifyHash
function VerifyHash(hashVal: WideString; encoding: WideString): Integer;
Introduced in version 9.5.0.71

Verifies the hashVal against the hash value stored for the current value of this secure string. The MaintainHash property must've previously been set for this secure string to maintain an internal hash. The encoding specifies the encoding of the hashVal. It can be any of the binary encoding algorithms, such as "base64", "hex", and many more listed at Chilkat Binary Encodings

Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.

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