[Bf-funboard] Some skinning feature ideas

[Roland Hess]

Heya Tony!

Tony Mullen wrote:

> Subject: [Bf-funboard] Some skinning feature ideas
> 
> 1) I would like to be able to create empty vertex groups for all (and only)
> deform bones with one click.  Workflow here is currently a bit indirect.
> The only method I know to create these vertex groups at present is to use
> the W key in weight paint mode with envelopes selected, which automatically
> assigns weights for the vertex groups which means that in addition to
> assigning clean weights, all the mis-assigned envelope weights need to be
> cleaned up as well.

It's not the ideal access to the feature, but if you make the armature 
the Armature Parent of the mesh, one of the vert group options that pops 
up is "Create Names" or something like. Choosing that option creates 
empty vert groups with all bone names.
> 
> 3) It'd be great to have an easy way to remove a selected vert(s) from all
> of the vertex groups it is a member of.  This is easy enough to do with a
> script, I think, but it seems to be basic enough functionality not to have
> to need a script.

Actually, this would be something to put in the Mesh Scripts menu, 
accessible right on the 3D view header. Shouldn't be that hard to write.

On point #2, I'll have to check, but I don't think that a vert weighted 
at 1 for two different groups gives the same behavior as one weighted at 
.5 for two groups, nor should it. Including a Normalize script wouldn't 
be a bad idea.

-- 
Roland Hess