Index: source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h
===================================================================
--- source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h	(revision 11461)
+++ source/blender/makesdna/DNA_view3d_types.h	(working copy)
@@ -166,8 +166,9 @@
 
 /* View3d->flag2 (short) */
 #define V3D_OPP_DIRECTION_NAME	1
-#define V3D_FLYMODE				2
-#define V3D_TRANSFORM_SNAP		4
+#define V3D_FLYMODE		2
+#define V3D_TRANSFORM_SNAP	4
+#define V3D_VERTEX_EDIT		8
 
 /* View3d->snap_target */
 #define V3D_SNAP_TARGET_CLOSEST	0
Index: source/blender/include/blendef.h
===================================================================
--- source/blender/include/blendef.h	(revision 11461)
+++ source/blender/include/blendef.h	(working copy)
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@
 #define B_MAN_TRANS		161
 #define B_MAN_ROT		162
 #define B_MAN_SCALE		163
+#define B_VGROUP		164
 
 /* IPO: 200 */
 #define B_IPOHOME		201
Index: source/blender/src/header_view3d.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/header_view3d.c	(revision 11461)
+++ source/blender/src/header_view3d.c	(working copy)
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 
 #include "BKE_action.h"
 #include "BKE_curve.h"
+#include "BKE_deform.h"
 #include "BKE_depsgraph.h"
 #include "BKE_displist.h"
 #include "BKE_effect.h"
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@
 
 #include "BLI_arithb.h"
 #include "BLI_blenlib.h"
+#include "BLI_dynstr.h"
 #include "BLI_editVert.h"
 
 #include "BSE_edit.h"
@@ -4919,7 +4921,20 @@
 			G.vd->twtype= V3D_MANIP_SCALE;
 		allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
 		break;
-		
+	case B_VGROUP:
+		if(ob->actdef == 32767) {
+			add_defgroup(ob);
+			assign_verts_defgroup();
+		}
+		else {
+			EM_clear_flag_all(SELECT);
+			sel_verts_defgroup(1);
+		}
+	
+		allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
+		allqueue(REDRAWOOPS, 0);
+		countall();
+		break;	
 	default:
 
 		if(event>=B_LAY && event<B_LAY+31) {
@@ -5090,9 +5105,35 @@
 	*xcoord= xco;
 }
 
+static void update_selection_cb(void *poin, void *poin2)
+{
+	sel_verts_defgroup(1);
+
+	allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
+	allqueue(REDRAWOOPS, 0);
+	countall();
+}
+
+static void verify_vertexgroup_name_func(void *datav, void *data2_unused)
+{
+	unique_vertexgroup_name((bDeformGroup*)datav, OBACT);
+}
+
+static void delete_current_vgroup_cb(void *poin, void *poin2)
+{
+	Object *ob = (Object *)poin;	
+
+	del_defgroup(ob);
+
+	allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 1);
+	allqueue(REDRAWOOPS, 0);
+	BIF_undo_push("Delete vertex group");
+}
+
 void view3d_buttons(void)
 {
 	uiBlock *block;
+	uiBut *bt;
 	Object *ob= OBACT;
 	int a;
 	short xco = 0;
@@ -5280,6 +5321,58 @@
 			xco+= 10;
 		}
 
+		/* Vertex groups */
+		if(G.obedit && (G.obedit->type == OB_MESH || ob->type==OB_LATTICE)) {
+			uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
+
+			bt= uiDefIconButBitS(block, TOG, V3D_VERTEX_EDIT, B_REDR, ICON_VERTEXSEL,xco,0,XIC,YIC, &G.vd->flag2, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Edit Vertex Groups"); /* TODO: icon */	
+			uiButSetFunc(bt, update_selection_cb, NULL, NULL);
+			xco+= XIC;
+			
+			if(G.vd->flag2 & V3D_VERTEX_EDIT) {
+				DynStr *dstr= BLI_dynstr_new();
+				bDeformGroup *defGroup;
+				static float editbutvweight= 1;
+				int defCount;
+				char *str;
+				char *vgroupmenustr= get_vertexgroup_menustr(ob);
+				
+				BLI_dynstr_append(dstr, "Vertex Group%t|ADD NEW %x32767");
+				if(strcmp(vgroupmenustr, "No Vertex Groups in Object") != 0) {
+					BLI_dynstr_append(dstr, "|");
+					BLI_dynstr_append(dstr, vgroupmenustr);
+				}
+				str= BLI_dynstr_get_cstring(dstr);
+			
+				defCount= BLI_countlist(&ob->defbase);
+					
+				uiDefButS(block, MENU, B_VGROUP, str,xco,0,XIC,YIC, (short *)&ob->actdef, 1, defCount, 0, 0, "Browses available vertex groups");
+				xco+= XIC;
+
+				if(ob->actdef) {
+					defGroup = BLI_findlink(&ob->defbase, ob->actdef-1);
+					bt= uiDefBut(block, TEX, REDRAWBUTSEDIT,"",xco,0,100,YIC, defGroup->name, 0, 31, 0, 0, "Displays current vertex group name. Click to change. (Match bone name for deformation.)");
+					uiButSetFunc(bt, verify_vertexgroup_name_func, defGroup, NULL);
+					uiButSetCompleteFunc(bt, autocomplete_vgroup, (void *)ob);
+					xco+= 100;	
+
+					uiDefButF(block, NUM, REDRAWVIEW3D, "", xco,0,3*XIC,YIC, &editbutvweight, 0, 1, 10, 0, "Sets the current vertex group's bone deformation strength");
+					xco+= 3*XIC;
+				}
+				
+				bt= uiDefIconBut(block, BUT, B_NOP, ICON_X,xco,0,XIC,YIC, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Delete vertex group");
+				uiButSetFunc(bt, delete_current_vgroup_cb, ob, NULL);
+				xco+= XIC;
+
+				BLI_dynstr_free(dstr);
+				MEM_freeN(str);
+				MEM_freeN(vgroupmenustr);
+			}
+
+			uiBlockEndAlign(block);
+			xco+= 10;
+		}
+
 		/* selection modus */
 		if(G.obedit && (G.obedit->type == OB_MESH)) {
 			uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
Index: source/blender/src/editdeform.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/editdeform.c	(revision 11461)
+++ source/blender/src/editdeform.c	(working copy)
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@
 
 	dg=BLI_findlink(&ob->defbase, ob->actdef-1);
 	if (!dg){
-		error ("No vertex group is active");
+		//error ("No vertex group is active");
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@
 
 	dg=BLI_findlink(&ob->defbase, ob->actdef-1);
 	if (!dg){
-		error ("No vertex group is active");
+		//error ("No vertex group is active");
 		return;
 	}
 
Index: source/blender/src/editmesh_mods.c
===================================================================
--- source/blender/src/editmesh_mods.c	(revision 11461)
+++ source/blender/src/editmesh_mods.c	(working copy)
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
 #include "BKE_verse.h"
 #endif
 
+#include "BIF_editdeform.h"
 #include "BIF_editmesh.h"
 #include "BIF_resources.h"
 #include "BIF_gl.h"
@@ -1668,6 +1669,12 @@
 		EM_selectmode_flush();
 		countall();
 
+		/* update active vertex group */
+		if(G.vd->flag2 & V3D_VERTEX_EDIT) {
+			remove_verts_defgroup(1);
+			assign_verts_defgroup();
+		}
+
 		allqueue(REDRAWVIEW3D, 0);
 	}