Getting separate body parts from a Makehuman object file

Question

I have the object file for Makehuman, which is basically an open source human body mesh.
For my project, I need its individual body parts. Now, I can do this by manually selecting the corresponding mesh vertices in blender (which I have managed to do).

An obj file would typically look like:

v -0.3110 7.3315 1.4107
v -0.3481 7.3465 1.4062
v -0.3095 7.3456 1.4117
v -0.3487 7.3574 1.4039
v -0.3080 7.3566 1.4103
....

Now, I want to segregate this obj file so that I can get the vertices and edges corresponding to the selections. How can I do so?
PS: I also need to preserve the global indices in the segregated mesh files, so simply deleting off the unselected parts and exporting to a new obj file isn't an option.

Answer 1

You can use this script on blender to show vertices for each item in the mesh:

import bpy
for object in bpy.data.objects:

    print(object.name)
    if object.type == 'MESH':
        for vertex in object.data.vertices:
            print(vertex.co) 

if you need to show just one part called part_name: you can do like this

import bpy
for object in bpy.data.objects:
    print(object.name)
    if object.name=='name_part':
       for vertex in object.data.vertices:
           print(vertex.co) 

Answer 2

I think you're saying that you want your actual .obj file to be grouped by body part?

Edit mode, numpad 1 for front view.
Turn off occlusion so you can select through your mesh.
B for box select, or C for circle-select. Right-click when finished.

Select a body part, assign a color.
Select another body part, assign a new color.

Example: Left arm red, right arm blue, left leg green.
You know, like you're playing Twister. So on and so forth.

The Twister part was a joke. The colors don't have to be so dissimilar.
You can just do very subtle changes in color and get the same effect.

Every part gets a new color, then export it as an .obj file.

.obj files group vertices by color, so this should get you what you want.

Answer 3

If you downloaded the make human file with a rigging, it will have vertex groups for each bone, (body part) Perhaps that data is all you need and you can do what you want through the vertex groups.