Troubleshooting

Windows gives warms me the software is unsigned

When you first install or run OghmaNano on Windows, the operating system may show a warning that the software is "unsigned" or "from an unknown publisher." This message does not mean the program is unsafe – it simply means that the installer has not been signed with a commercial code-signing certificate.

Code signing is essentially a way of attaching a digital signature purchased from a certificate authority. While it can make installation smoother, it is not a guarantee of software quality or security. Many legitimate open-source and academic tools are distributed unsigned because obtaining and renewing a certificate costs hundreds of pounds or dollars per year. For small research projects and academic software, this money is often better spent on actual development rather than on paperwork with a third-party authority.

Running unsigned software is common in research environments, and Windows provides the warning mainly so that users pause before installing programs they did not expect to download. As long as you obtain OghmaNano directly from the official website (oghma-nano.com), you can be confident you are getting the authentic version. Once installed, the program runs normally, and the unsigned status does not affect simulation performance or functionality in any way.

Why don’t I get a 3D view of the device

If your simulation window appears as shown in ?? rather than ??, it usually indicates that your system is not making use of 3D acceleration. On most modern laptops and desktops this does not mean the hardware is missing—virtually all machines are shipped with 3D-capable graphics—but rather that the drivers are not installed or are not working correctly. If you have an ATI, Nvidia, or Intel graphics card, make sure the latest drivers are properly installed.

Even very basic or older graphics cards are more than sufficient for OghmaNano’s 3D visualisation. Lack of acceleration affects only the quality of the device view, not the accuracy or speed of the simulations themselves. This is therefore a hardware/driver configuration issue, not a bug in OghmaNano.

Screenshot of OghmaNano simulation window without 3D acceleration: flat, unshaded view of the device — OghmaNano running on a system **without 3D acceleration hardware or drivers**. The device view appears flat and lacks shaded rendering. Although visualisation is limited in this mode, all simulations still run correctly.

Screenshot of OghmaNano simulation window with 3D acceleration: shaded, perspective view of the device — OghmaNano running on a system **with working 3D acceleration hardware**. The device view is shaded, perspective-correct, and easier to interpret. 3D acceleration enhances the visualisation experience but does not affect the accuracy of the simulations themselves.