# Repurposing existing HMI program and graphics

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/repurposing-existing-hmi-program-and-graphics/32845>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [March 5, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/repurposing-existing-hmi-program-and-graphics/32845 "2020-03-05T17:01:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![deep.shah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@deep.shah](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/deep.shah)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/repurposing-existing-hmi-program-and-graphics/32845/1 "2020-03-05T17:01:24Z")

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Is re-purposing and transferring of existing HMI program and GUI’s from various models like AllenBradley, Siemens, Automation Direct, etc to ignition without making it from scratch so that we won’t have to do the hassle of creating it again…?

I just want to add the user access control feature and audit-trail feature in the existing equipment using Ignition by just putting the Ignition layer on the existing HMI and if superimposing the Ignition layer on existing HMI is not possible then is there any solution for the same.

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/repurposing-existing-hmi-program-and-graphics/32845/2 "2020-03-05T17:08:38Z")

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TL/DR: No.

Most HMIs run embedded operating systems that don’t support the Java level Ignition needs, or don’t allow external applications at all. And they use proprietary formats to store their HMI’s configuration. Even if you could read it, the fundamental operating features, components/objects, and scripting technologies are so different compared to Ignition that the complexity of the desired conversion tools required make my head hurt.

There’s a phrase for this phenomenon: “Vendor Lock-in”.

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**Author:** ![deep.shah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@deep.shah](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/deep.shah)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/repurposing-existing-hmi-program-and-graphics/32845/3 "2020-03-05T19:51:37Z")

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Thank you for your response @pturmel.