Secrets SQL Server Reference Documentation
Secrets
Current Version: 11.6.0
Chilkat.Secrets
Use in-memory secrets when values should exist only for the lifetime of
the running process.
Store and retrieve secrets as strings, binary data, or structured JSON.
Start with the
Conceptual Overview
and
Components of a Secret Name.
For an extended overview, see the
Secrets Class Overview.
Manage application secrets through one consistent API.
Chilkat.Secrets provides a unified interface for storing,
retrieving, listing, and deleting secrets across local, cloud-based, and
in-memory secret stores. It supports string, binary, and JSON secrets, making
it useful for passwords, API keys, OAuth credentials, tokens, unlock codes,
certificates, and private configuration data.
Local secure storage
Cloud secret managers
Temporary secrets
Flexible content types
Object Creation
DECLARE @hr int
DECLARE @secrets int
EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Secrets', @secrets OUT
IF @hr <> 0
BEGIN
PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
RETURN
END
-- ... use @secrets ...
EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @secretsT-SQL uses the Chilkat ActiveX through the OLE Automation stored procedures. They must be enabled once on the server (EXEC sp_configure 'Ole Automation Procedures', 1; RECONFIGURE;), and the Chilkat ActiveX registered must match the bitness of the SQL Server instance (64-bit for a 64-bit SQL Server). To bind to a specific major version of Chilkat, append the major version number to the ProgID, such as sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Secrets.11' for Chilkat v11.*.*.
sp_OACreate returns an object token (an int) that is passed as the first argument of every sp_OAMethod, sp_OAGetProperty and sp_OASetProperty call, and released with sp_OADestroy. Objects returned by methods (such as an HttpResponse or JsonObject) are also tokens received through an int OUT parameter; they must likewise be destroyed, and the OUT parameter is NULL when the method fails to return an object. Objects passed as arguments are passed by their token. When an OLE Automation procedure itself fails (non-zero @hr), sp_OAGetErrorInfo describes the error.
Data types: strings are nvarchar(4000); integers, booleans (1 or 0) and object tokens are int; dates are datetime. In the signatures on this page, @success, @iResult, @sResult and the like are the OUT variables receiving a method's return value, @iValue / @sValue receive or supply a property value, and the remaining @ variables are the method's arguments in order.
A string returned through an OUT parameter is limited to 4000 characters. For longer values, retrieve the result as a result set into a table variable instead of an OUT parameter, for example DECLARE @tmp TABLE (outputLine ntext) followed by INSERT INTO @tmp EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @secrets, 'LastErrorText'. See string length limitations for strings returned by sp_OAMethod calls.
Methods that pass or return raw byte arrays are not shown on this page, because varbinary(max) values cannot be exchanged through sp_OAMethod (see varbinary(max) limitation). Use the BinData-based alternatives (methods ending in Bd) or the base64 / hex string-encoded variants instead. Binary properties (such as LastBinaryResult) can be retrieved as a result set into a table variable, as shown in their signatures. Asynchronous (*Async) methods and event callbacks are not available from SQL Server.
Properties
AutoSplit
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'AutoSplit', @iValue
The AutoSplit property is specific to local_manager secrets on Windows. The Windows Credentials Manager supports a maximum of 2560 bytes per secret. If a secret exceeds this size, it will be automatically compressed and split when created or updated, and automatically recomposed when retrieved.
A secret can be split into a maximum of 10 parts.
The default value is 1.
Compression
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'Compression', @iValue
If set to 1, then the contents of the secret will be stored compressed. The default value of this property is 0.
DebugLogFilePath
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'DebugLogFilePath', @sValue
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.
LastBinaryResult
This property is mainly used in SQL Server stored procedures to retrieve binary data from the last method call that returned binary data. It is only accessible if Chilkat.Global.KeepBinaryResult is set to 1. This feature allows for the retrieval of large varbinary results in an SQL Server environment, which has restrictions on returning large data via method calls, though temp tables can handle binary properties.
LastErrorHtml
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.
topLastErrorText
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.
LastErrorXml
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.
topLastMethodSuccess
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'LastMethodSuccess', @iValue
Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: 1 means success, 0 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.
LastStringResult
In SQL Server stored procedures, this property holds the string return value of the most recent method call that returns a string. It is accessible only when Chilkat.Global.KeepStringResult is set to TRUE. SQL Server has limitations on string lengths returned from methods and properties, but temp tables can be used to access large strings.
LastStringResultLen
The length, in characters, of the string contained in the LastStringResult property.
topLocation
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'Location', @sValue
The location of the secrets. Possible values are:
local_manager- On Windows this is the Credentials Manager. On MacOS and iOS it is the Keychain. This is not yet an option on Linux or Android.aws_secrets_manager- AWS Secrets Managerazure_key_vault- Azure Key Vaultibm_cloud- IBM Cloud Secrets Manageroracle_cloud- Oracle Cloud Secretsdoppler- Doppler Secretsmemory- In-Memory Secrets
The default location is the local_manager. On Linux and Android, local_manager will behave the same as memory.
UncommonOptions
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'UncommonOptions', @sValue
This is a catch-all property to be used for uncommon needs. This property defaults to the empty string and should typically remain empty.
topVerboseLogging
EXEC sp_OASetProperty @secrets, 'VerboseLogging', @iValue
If set to 1, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is 0. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.
Version
Methods
DeleteSecret
Deletes a secret. Cloud secrets managers will typically disable the secret and schedule the secret for deletion after some number of days.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
GetSecretBd
Fetches a binary secret and returns the content in bd.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
GetSecretJson
Fetches a JSON secret and returns the content in jsonOut.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
GetSecretSb
Fetches a string secret and returns the content in sb.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
GetSecretStr
Fetches a string secret and returns the content of the secret.
Returns NULL on failure
ListSecrets
Lists secrets matching the wildcarded or exact values passed in json. The results of the query are returned in jsonOut.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
SecretSpecToJson
Converts a secret specification string (secretSpec) to JSON. A secret specification string is formatted as "!!part1|part2|part3|part4" where parts 3 and 4 are optional. json is the output argument.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
SetBootstrapSecret
Accessing a cloud-based secrets manager requires authentication credentials, which cannot be stored in the manager itself. Instead, they must be securely stored locally.
One solution is to store the authentication credentials as a secret in the Windows Credentials Manager or Apple Keychain. These credentials serve as the bootstrap secret for authenticating with the cloud-based secrets manager.
jsonId contains the name of the bootstrap secret. secretContent contains the bootstrap's secret content.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
UpdateSecretBd
Creates a binary secret if it does not yet exist, or updates an existing secret. The name of the secret is specified in jsonId, and the binary content of the secret in secret.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
UpdateSecretJson
Creates a JSON secret if it does not yet exist, or updates an existing secret. The name of the secret is specified in jsonId, and the JSON content of the secret in secret.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
UpdateSecretSb
Creates a string secret if it does not yet exist, or updates an existing secret. The name of the secret is specified in jsonId, and the string content of the secret in sb.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
UpdateSecretStr
Creates a string secret if it does not yet exist, or updates an existing secret. The name of the secret is specified in jsonId, and the string content of the secret in secret.
Note: Starting in Chilkat v11.3.0, if the service = "Chilkat" and the username = "unlock_code", then the secret (which is the Chilkat unlock code) can be stored and retrieved without Chilkat being unlocked. This allows for the Chilkat unlock code itself to be persisted to a secrets manager.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.