blender-portable-repo/extensions/user_default/vertex_skin_weights_tool

Vertex Skin Weights UI

A Blender addon for advanced vertex weight skinning adjustments, making the rigging workflow faster and more efficient.

Features

• Direct Vertex Weight Control: Adjust weight values precisely on selected vertices
• Weighted Bones List: See all bones influencing your selected vertices, sorted by weight
• Weight Nudging: Increment/decrement weights with precise control
• Hammer Weights: Smooth weights by averaging from neighboring vertices
• Copy/Paste Weights: Transfer weights between vertices, even across different objects
• Mirror Weights: Mirror vertex weights across X, Y, or Z axis with automatic bone name handling
• Advanced Weight Transfer: Copy skin weights between meshes with intelligent weight interpolation

Installation

1. Download the latest release from
2. In Blender, go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
3. Click "Install..." and select the downloaded ZIP file
4. Enable the addon by checking the box

Basic Controls

The addon adds a new tab called "Vertex Skin Weights" in the 3D View sidebar (press N to show/hide the sidebar).

1. Start Tool: Click "Start Tool - Force Update" to enable the automatic bone list updating
2. Selection: Select vertices in Edit Mode to see their weight distribution
3. Weight Adjustment:
   • Use Plus/Minus buttons to nudge weights up or down
   • Click preset buttons (0.00, 0.10, 0.25, etc.) to set fixed weights
   • Enter custom values for precise weight assignment

Bone Selection and Weighting

1. Click "Weighted Bones" to see bones influencing your selected vertices
2. Click "All Bones" to see all vertex groups with weighted bones shown first
3. Select one or multiple bones from the list to target them for weight adjustments
4. Use the weight adjustment tools to modify weights for selected bones

Copy & Paste Weights

1. Select a single vertex with the desired weights
2. Click "Copy" to store those weights
3. Select target vertices (even on different objects)
4. Click "Paste" to apply the same weight distribution

Mirror Weights

1. Expand the "Mirror Weights" section
2. Select source vertices on one side of your mesh
3. Choose the mirror axis (X, Y, or Z)
4. Adjust tolerance if needed
5. Click "Mirror Weights" to transfer weights to the opposite side
   • Automatically handles bone name patterns like ".L"/".R", "_left"/"_right", etc.

Copy Skin Weights Between Meshes

1. Expand the "Copy Skin Weights" section
2. Select source and target meshes
3. Configure options:
   • Threshold: Distance limit for direct copying vs. interpolation
   • Selected Vertices Only: Restrict to selected vertices on target
   • Auto Weights If No Mapping: Use auto-weighting when bone names don't match
   • Apply Transforms on Target: Apply all transforms before copying (recommended)
4. Click "Copy Skin Weights" to transfer weights

Tips for Best Results

• Performance: The "Max Selected Verts" setting limits how many vertices can be selected before the bones list stops updating - increase for large selections
• Multiple Bone Edits: When selecting multiple bones and setting a fixed weight, the addon will automatically distribute weights properly
• Advanced Weight Transfer: For best results with the "Copy Skin Weights" function using Advanced mode, enable "Apply Transforms on Target"
• Edit During Animation: The addon works in Edit Mode while the armature is posed, allowing you to see weight effects in real-time

Common Issues and Solutions

• Bones List Not Updating: Click "Start Tool - Force Update" to restart the auto-update timer
• No Bones Appearing: Make sure your mesh has vertex groups and is properly linked to an armature
• Weight Copy Not Working: Ensure source and target meshes have compatible armatures with similar bone names
• Mirror Not Finding Matching Vertices: Try increasing the tolerance value

Compatibility

• Blender 3.0.0 and higher
• Works with all mesh types and armature setups
• Compatible with both Eevee and Cycles rendering engines

Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests, please contact melowilo@gmail.com

License

This addon is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later.

Credits

Created by Melowilo Animation