IT support
Computer and software information for BDes and MSD students.
Important Notice:
Changes to ADOBE licensing for ABP student personal licenses.
The University of Melbourne has secured UoM discounted student yearly licenses for AdobeE CC programs. These will allow students to remotely access Adobe software from home on their personal computers or through MyUniApps Remote Access ie. (ABP Shared-Labs, ABP Teaching, MyUniApps.
The UoM discounted Adobe CC software license will be a fixed charge until 27th November each year. Adobe CC student license is a 'named' and single concurrent use license. Whilst access to the software is possible from any computer, only one device can be logged-in for use at a time. For assistance with installation or support, students can contact Student IT here.
The UoM student license will cost $65 per annum, please purchase through the portal here.
Note: If students purchase Adobe CC directly with Adobe or via any other software vendor or portal, the discounted rate will not be available, and they will be charged the Student RRP of $263 per annum.
*Adobe programs are also available to use on the ABP Teaching and Learning computers on campus.
Student IT Support
In this page, students are able to find information on ABP specific IT software & hardware available, how to access them and answers to some common questions.
However, please note that all IT support is managed by the Central IT Team. Issues with software and hardware should be raised with Central IT via the:
This page is your one-stop shop for all things IT. It has links to software available to students, online support chats, and account management.
For ABP specific IT information please find further information below.
Remote Access
All ABP student's (and students enrolled in ABP subjects which are timetable in MSD Digital Design Hubs) can now access the powerful ABP CAD computers remotely via myUniApps. Please simply login to the myUniApps platform using the button below for full access to ABP software.
Make sure to select Desktops > ABP Shared Labs. Applications in the 'Apps' tab do not utilise the ABP computers hardware and graphic capbailities.
There is a limited number of ‘seats’ meaning physical computers. Availability depends on how many active seats are being used. If you are unable to access the shared labs that means all computers are currently being used, please try again later or wait until someone else finishes their session.
We recommend you use the Citrix Workspace application to work on the virtual desktop.
Visit https://unimelb.cloud.com for download and configuration instructions. Please follow the instructions to ensure the Citrix Workspace is configured correctly.
A few things to remember:
- For the best experience keep your files on OneDrive.
- Remember to save back to OneDrive. Local files will be deleted upon sign out.
- Don’t forget to sign out, this ensures other users can access the computer.
- After a substantial time of inactivity your session will be automatically signed out to make the computer available for other users.
- The desktop may seem unresponsive when you first start up, however many programs are still downloading in the background. Please allow a few minutes for the system to fully load each time you log in.
For applications like Adobe packages please sign in using your university credentials.
If you experience a problem please contact the Service Centre:
Student Loan Laptops
Students who need access to higher computing capability and applications at home are advised to use the Remote Access - ABP Shared Labs via myUniApps (see Remote Access article above).
Students without a personal computer or facing other technical difficulties can apply for Technical Consideration via the following UOM website. In their application, they can state that in addition to seeking additional time etc. they would like to request a loan laptop from the Faculty.
Faculty Loan laptops are extremely limited, all eligible applications are subject to availability.
Special consideration (technical) - Students
We recommend all students to purchase a suitable laptop device for their studies - please read our Recommended Specification section below.
Remote Collaboration and Presentation Tools
MSD recommends the use of Miro, @Studio and Mozilla Hubs for remote presentations in 2D as well as 3D. To learn more about the different applications strengths as well as some helpful links, please see below See software list below on this page to learn about additionally available software applications.
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Remote collaboration and presentation applications
Application Functionality Website Helpful links Miro Virtual Whiteboard, great for collaboration as well as presentations https://miro.com/ @Studio Allows for 3D presentations and virtual exhibitions (works particularly well with building a presentation around Rhino files) https://at.studio/ Mozilla Hubs A virtual 3D presenting space https://hubs.mozilla.com/ See software list below on this page to learn about additionally available software applications.
Software
The available software is updated every semester, please check one of the ABP Specialist CAD computers for the latest available software. All machines using the same software image and every computer will have the same software loaded. Please note that software availability is variable during COVID-19 and may be quickly outdated. The computer labs will have the following common software packages installed, and many more.
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Available on MSD computers and to download
All IT requests are processed through Central IT. Students should refer them first if any issues arise. You can contact them here. If you continue to experience problems, you can also contact us at abp-technology@unimelb.edu.au and we will contact Central IT to follow up with your request(s).
*Note that these softwares can be accessed on the Virtual Desktop through myUniApps.
Software Availability through myUniApps Availability/cost as download for personal computer Adobe After Effects Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Adobe Flash Player accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Adobe InDesign Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Adobe Illustrator Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Adobe Lightroom Classic CC Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Adobe Media Encoder Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Adobe Photoshop Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Adobe Premiere Pro Available via personal license UoM Student plan - AU$65.00/year. Included as a bundle. Agisoft MetaShape accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, US$59 ARGUS Estate Master accessible through myUniApps Free 90 day subscription. Autodesk 3DS Max accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Autodesk AutoCAD accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Autodesk Civil 3D accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Autodesk Dynamo Studio accessible through myUniApps Free trial for 30 days, US$40/month, US325/year. Autodesk Maya accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Autodesk Navisworks Simulate accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Autodesk ReCap Pro accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Autodesk Revit accessible through myUniApps Educational license for students, free for a year. Blender accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Citrix Workspace accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Corona Renderer accessible through myUniApps Educational pricing, 24,99 €/year. EnergyPlus accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Enscape for Rhino accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Epic Game Launcher + Unreal Engine accessible through myUniApps Free to download. First Rate 5 accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Graphisoft ARCHICAD accessible through myUniApps Educational license available. IES Virtual Environment accessible through myUniApps Education pricing, AUD$100/year IrfanView accessible through myUniApps Free to download. IronPython accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Karamba3D accessible through myUniApps Educational pricing, 30€ + VAT, 2 year license. Makerbot Print accessible through myUniApps Free to download. MAXtoA for 3DS Max accessible through myUniApps Free to download with working license for 3DS Max. Microsoft Office Suite accessible through myUniApps Free with student account, login to Office 365 Login Portal. RiB CostX 6.9 accessible through myUniApps Education pricing, AUD$19.99/year Rhinoceros 6 and 7 accessible through myUniApps USD$195 lifetime account for students. SketchUp accessible through myUniApps Student pricing, AUD$93.50/yr. Solibri Anywhere accessible through myUniApps Educational license available. SPSS Statistics accessible through myUniApps Education pricing, USD$80/year Steam VR accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Substance Painter accessible through myUniApps Student plan - AU$21.99/month. Included as a bundle. QGIS 3 accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Unity accessible through myUniApps Free to download. Visual Studio Enterprise accessible through myUniApps Free to download. ZBrush accessible through myUniApps Free trial for 30 days, US$39.95/month, US895/year. If you have any further queries, contact us at abp-technology@unimelb.edu.au.
Help learning software packages
While primary learning takes place in classrooms, the Faculty wants to support students self-education and provide the best resources to do so. The ABP Faculty subscribes to two great learning resources.
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ArchiStar Academy
The ArchiStar Academy is a great collection of structured video courses specifically chosen to be valuable to Design, Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture and Construction Students. Software courses include: Rhino, ArchiCad, AutoCad, Grasshopper, Revit, ArchiCad. Photoshop and much more.
You may be automatically enrolled to a class by your tutor or subject.
To self enrol please;
- You can self enrol here by using your @student.unimelb.edu.au email address.
- Confirm your account and set a password once you receive the confirmation email.
- You are now free to commence any of the available courses.
Your tutors are also able to add an entire class to the tool. Please ask your tutors to contact the ABP Design Technology Manager if you believe it would be valuable to your class.
Getting help and being helpful
If you have issues with any computer in the MSD building or Baldwin Spencer building, please contact the Central IT team. It may not be an immediate help to you but it will help the next person, which may be you next time.
If you are in a classroom or computer lab and require immediate help in a teaching environment please contact central AV support.
Limited support for personal devices (laptop, mobile phone, tablet) is provided to students by Student IT and eLearning support.
Computer locations
The Architecture, Building and Planning Faculty provides specialist CAD (Computer Aided Design) computers to all students in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
These specialist computers are located in the MSD and Baldwin Spencer Buildings in the below-listed locations. Each of these computers have the same software installed.
Name | Room Number | Level | Machine Number |
Digital Design Hub 129* | MSD RM129 | 1 | 28 |
Digital Design Hub 120* | MSD RM120 | 1 | 16 |
Digital Design Hub 120* | MSD RM121 | 1 | 16 |
Digital Design Hub 246* | MSD RM246 | 2 | 24 |
Brian Lewis Atrium | MSD Level 1 | 1 | 24 (8 computers and 16 docking monitors) |
Open Areas | |||
MSD Northern Side | 3 | 4 | |
MSD Northern Side | 4 | 4 | |
Baldwin Spencer Design Hall (Master's access only) | BLG113.RM102 | 1 | 46 |
* Digital Design Hubs are timetabled for classes but available for student use when not timetabled.
Please report any problems with the computers to Stop1 (13 MELB (13 6352)) or Central IT on ext 40888.
Recommended laptop specifications
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Minimum laptop specifications
The following specifications are recommended for students studying Bachelor of Design or MSD courses:
Operating System
Windows 11
As part of your degree, you will be required (by 2nd year at the latest) to use software that remains unsupported by Mac OS, as such you will not be able to run the required programs or obtain support from the faculty for this issue. We therefore recommend students to avoid purchasing an Apple computer for their study.
Processor
Quad-Core Intel i7 CPU
Graphics card
NVidia RTX 3060
Many software packages require NVidia CUDA technology and we recommend a NVidia branded graphics card.
RAM
16GB
Hard Disk
512GB SSD or M.2
Weight
A laptop computer with the above specification is often quite large and bulky. If you do prioritise weight please ensure the device is powerful enough to provide an enjoyable user experience.
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Gold-standard laptop specifications
ABP Loan Laptops
The Loans Desk use HP OMEN 15 devices which are suitable for heavy CAD or VR work. This is considered an excellent machine for specialist design work, and should see you through the course without hitting large constraints.
Operating System
Windows 11
Processor
Intel® Core™ i9
Graphics card
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 (8 GB GDDR6 dedicated)
Many software packages require NVidia CUDA technology and we recommend a NVidia branded graphics card.
RAM
32GB (upgradeable)
Hard Disk
Primary: 1TB storage SSD (upgradeable)
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Where to buy?
Please purchase from a reliable local reseller who has excellent customer service, just in case you need to contact them if the device is faulty. Affordable Laptops is a good comparison site for the Australian market.
Loaning equipment
As a student of ABP, you have access to an excellent range of high quality cameras, photo studio equipment, 3D scanners, VR trolleys and laptop VR kits and much more, at the Loan’s Desk, located in the ABP Student Printroom.
Please visit their website for a full list of loan items and more information
IT hardware such as Laptops, screens, mice or keyboards are not available for student loan.
Printing and scanning
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Standard
Printing, copy and scanning facilities are available across the entire campus in most buildings and all libraries. Students are able to use these devices with their student cards.
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Premium and large format
The ABP Printroom is located on level 1 of the Melbourne School of design, RM127. This space provides facilities allowing students to print up to A0 in size on a small range of paper qualities. These facilities are provided by the ABP Faculty with the intention to serve the specific needs of ABP students, but are available for use by all University of Melbourne staff and students.
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Professional External Printers
If you require a professional print finish using fine art quality papers and inks, the closest commercial print shops are:
FAQ
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What happens when the computer is restarted?
The computer automatically downloads a fresh computer image from the server and reinstalls the software. This is why the computers take so long to start.
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Why can't I log into the computer?
Either because you are not logging into the student domain, please use `STUDENT\username` to login.
Or, because you are not actively enrolled in a subject which uses the ABP computer labs. If this is a mistake, please contact Stop1 to correct your enrollment.
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Can I save my files on the local machine?
No, you should always save your work on a portable hard disk, USB stick or in the cloud. Every time the computer restarts, file left on the local drive will be erased.
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Is all of the software on every computers?
Yes, all of the computers are identical. If one has software, or a new version, please restart the computer to download the latest image. All computers in all computer labs should have identical software.
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Can I use the computers to render my work?
Yes, but do not hold a computer for rendering while you are not at the computer. Please do not log into a 2nd machine just for this purpose. Such use of the computers is not allowed in MSD labs.
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Can I use an unattended computer?
Yes, please observe the computer for a reasonable amount of time to ensure someone is not quickly using the bathroom.
Unattended computers will be reset by University staff so other students can use them. Please monitor your computer if rendering.
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The software I need is not installed, what do I do?
Please request the software by calling Central IT on 8344 0888 or Stop1 on 13 MELB (13 6352) if the software is available and approved we will install it in all computer labs, this may take up to two weeks.
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Do I need to carry my student ID
Yes, please carry your student ID at all times. University security performs routine checks especially or when it is busy. You will be asked to leave if you cannot present your student ID card.
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Someone is using their own laptop and taking up a computer space in the labs, what do I do?
Please politely ask that person to relocate and refer them to this FAQ. If they refuse to leave please call security on 8344 6666 or 1800 246 066 (free call) and request for Campus Security assistance. The University does not tolerate any bullying or aggressive behavior.
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I am not studying with the faculty but am from a different department. Can I use the computers?
No, these are Specialist CAD computers and only to be used by students enrolled in:
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Design
- MSD courses
- Subjects starting with ARCH, BENV or ABPL
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If a computer or software is acting faulty, what do I do?
Please restart the computer to see if that resolves the issue. If not please lodge a ticket by calling Central IT on 8344 0888 or Stop1 on 13 MELB (13 6352)
Please also contact Central IT or Stop1 if a keyboard or mice is faulty or missing.
This may not resolve the issue for you straight away, but reporting faults ensures we have the most computers working at any one time.
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Can I eat food and have drinks in the Digital Design Hubs or the Baldwin Spencer Design Hall?
No, this is not allowed and penalties apply, your access to the computer labs may be revoked.
Feedback and Request Form
If you have any feedback or requests relating to the department's IT Support please provide feedback or requests to us using the below form. All feedback will be taken seriously and acted upon where feasible.
Please note that this form is only for requests and feedback specifically concerning the ABP (Architecture, Building and Planning) department. All requests relating to general IT concerns should be directed to the central IT team, which can be reached on (03) 834 40888.