blender addon to convert weight paint to/from vertex color could be useful for external editing.

install the addon :

• Download the Zip file
• Extract and move the .py file to your addon directory

Using the Addon :

• Select the objec t of interest

• Hit Space and type "weight & color"

• choose th right setting from what follows :

• select the conversion you want to do :

  • Weight paint to Vertex color.
  • Vertex color to Weight paint.

• Select Color conversin method :

  • RGB : convert colored vertex color to/from wheight paint
  • B&W : convert a grayscale Vertex color to/from Weght paint

• Use Zero weight :

  • include the verticies that have a zero weight in the vertex groups

• A new Vertex color/group will be created with the same name as the old one