Yes you can add new bones in step 3, they shouldn't affect or be considered in the copy weights operation.
I don't usually do that, but I do copy weights from different characters to copy the base bones weights, just like with Gator, with the difference that the Copy weights operator doesn't remain alive like Gator. You can also have multiple sources in copy weights. I use this when I need to merge my objects and the parts are already skinned. (I need to automatize this too !) You have a few options in copy weights for surface association (closest point, uv, raycast) and influence( by name, label, closest joint, etc). Some options are so similar that I always forget what they do. Martin On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 7:32 PM, Eugene Flormata <eug...@flormata.com> wrote: > Ah.. I'll have to try that thanks.. > > I assume you can also add new bones in step 3? > step 4 - copy weights is by name or by distance? you mentioned UV, I guess > I can check the help file but sometimes even with that it's complex. > > > On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 1:49 AM, Martin Yara <furik...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Not that I know, but I haven't look. >> >> The process is very simple. >> >> lets say we have a skinned object called objA >> >> 1 - duplicate objA >> now you have a duplicated without skin and history, lets call it objB >> >> 2 - edit objB topology as you want >> >> 3 - skin objB to the same bones as objA (or different bones but with the >> same names) >> >> 4 - select objA, then objB and use Copy Skin Weights: >> Animation > Skin > Edit Smooth Skin > Copy Skin Weights >> You have a few options if you press the square button (like copy through >> UV Space, etc) >> >> 5 - Delete objA, and rename objB if necessary. >> >> You could script this in a two step process. >> Something I'm planning to do someday. >> >> Now, if you have already edited your topology on objA without duplicating >> it, the weights in objA will be broken on the new vertices, and I said you >> would be screwed in my previous email, but you may still have a chance if >> you haven't done big topology changes. >> Just duplicate your edited objA and repeat the process from step 3. >> >> You won't ever have the versatility you have in Softimage, but still, >> better than nothing. Way better than older Maya versions where you were >> just screwed. >> >> Martin >> >> >> >> On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 11:59 AM, Eugene Flormata <eug...@flormata.com> >> wrote: >> >>> is there a youtube video on this process? I'm transitioning to maya 2016 >>> at the moment. >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 5:40 PM, Martin <furik...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> No you can't change the topology without messing up the weights. But >>>> nowadays, you can duplicate it, work on the duplicate and then, apply skin >>>> and copy weights from the original one. >>>> >>>> In older Maya's copy weights wasn't very reliable and you would have to >>>> use some slow scripts to copy through xyz coordinates. But I haven't had >>>> any problem with newer versions. >>>> >>>> If you forget to duplicate and change the topology, you're screwed. >>>> >>>> Martin >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>> >> >
