*******************
Vertex Groups Panel
*******************

.. admonition:: Reference
   :class: refbox

   :Mode:      All Modes
   :Panel:     :menuselection:`Object Data tab --> Vertex Groups`

.. figure:: /images/modeling_meshes_properties_vertex-groups_introduction_panel.png
   :align: right

   The Vertex Group panel.

Vertex Groups are maintained within the *Object Data* Properties Editor,
and there in the *Vertex Groups* panel.

Active Vertex Group
   A :ref:`ui-list-view`.

   Lock
      Locks the group from being editable. You can only rename or delete the group.

   Add ``+``
      Create an empty vertex group.
   Remove ``-``
      Deletes the active vertex group.

   Specials
      Sort Vertex Groups
         Sorts Vertex Groups alphabetically.
      Copy Vertex Group
         Add a Copy of the active Vertex Group as a new Group.
         The new group will be named like the original group with "_copy" appended at the end of its name.
         And it will contain associations to exactly the same vertices
         with the exact same weights as in the source vertex group.
      Copy Vertex Groups to Linked
         Copy Vertex Groups of this Mesh to all linked Objects which use the same mesh data (all users of the data).
      Copy Vertex Group to Selected
         Copy all Vertex Groups to other Selected Objects provided they have matching indices
         (typically this is true for copies of the mesh which are only deformed and not otherwise edited).
      Mirror Vertex Group
         Mirror all Vertex Groups, flip weights and/or names, editing only selected vertices,
         flipping when both sides are selected; otherwise copy from unselected.
      Mirror Vertex Group (Topology)
         The :ref:`modeling_meshes_editing_topology-mirror` option is enabled.
      Remove from All Groups
         (not available for locked groups) Unassigns the selected Vertices from all groups.
         After this operation has been performed, the vertices will no longer be contained in any vertex group.
      Clear Active Group
         Remove all assigned vertices from the active Group. The group is made empty.
         Note that the vertices may still be assigned to other Vertex Groups of the Object.
         (not available for locked groups).
      Delete All Unlocked Groups
         Remove all Vertex Groups from the Object that are *not* locked.
      Delete All Groups
         Remove all Vertex Groups from the Object.

      Lock All
         Lock all groups.
      Unlock All
         Unlock all groups.
      Lock Invert All
         Invert Group Locks.


Editing Vertex Groups
=====================

.. admonition:: Reference
   :class: refbox

   :Mode:      All Modes
   :Panel:     :menuselection:`Object Data tab --> Vertex Groups`
   :Menu:      :menuselection:`Mesh --> Vertex --> Vertex Groups`
   :Hotkey:    :kbd:`Ctrl-G`

.. figure:: /images/modeling_meshes_properties_vertex-groups_vertex-groups_panel-edit.png
   :align: right

   Vertex Group Panel in Edit or Weight Paint Mode.

When you switch either to *Edit Mode* or to *Weight Paint Mode* Vertex weights can be edited.
The same operations are available in the 3D Views menu
:menuselection:`Mesh --> Vertices --> Vertex Groups` or :kbd:`Ctrl-G`.

Assign
   To assign the Selected vertices to the active group with the weight as defined in the *Weight* (see below).
Remove
   To remove the selected vertices from the active group (and thus also delete their weight values).
Select
   To select all vertices contained in the group.
Deselect
   To deselect all vertices contained in the group.

Weight
   The weight value that gets assigned to the selected vertices.

Set Active Group
   Lets you select the group that will become the active one (menu only).

.. hint::

   Multiple objects sharing the same mesh data have
   the peculiar property that the group names are stored on the object,
   but the weights in the mesh. This allows you to name groups
   differently on each object, but take care because removing
   a vertex group will remove the group from all objects sharing this mesh.