copying skin weights

[Sparkle Skye]

I am using the standard size scene in maya and n the layers I see a layer called Avatar_Weights_source.  I am not sure what this layer is for since I have read you can not rig to that but need to use the other skeleton layer.  What I was wanting to do, was set up some poses to test my weighting on the medium size, however that avatar is not weighted.

Is there a way to do this? I tried selecting the avatar weights source and copying skinweights but it give me this error --

Must select a source and destination skin or component on a source and destination skin.

 

[Chosen Few]

I don't have the scene you referenced, but it sounds like the author provided (or at least intended to provide) an example rig, from which you can copy weights.  In order to make that work, the source mesh and your target mesh must each first be bound to a skeleton.  From the error message, it sounds like your new mesh isn't yet bound.  Go ahead and bind it, and then the copying should work (assuming the source model is indeed rigged properly).

By the way, the order of operations is the source is the one selected first, and the target the one selected second.  Make sure you don't do it backwards, or you'll nuke the weights on the intended source model.

Also, be aware that copying weights isn't always the best strategy.  If the source and target models are very dissimilar, you might not get a good result.  You can play with the options to try to get a better outcome, but there are never any guarantees.  Often, there's no substitute for just digging in, and painting weights by hand.