Important Question: transfering mesh data

Is there a way i can transfer the shape of a mesh to another? Like say i would like a shape but i need it to be an exact amount of vertices and no triangle faces. instead of making the whole shape by hand i would like to transfer that data over. There is kinda one way but its very difficult, and that is to fit one mesh over the other in zbrush and using zproject to push it onto the mesh. But it creates a big mess and artifacts out of the shape very easily. I can't ever get it perfect or even close to it. I'm willing to get any program possible to do this. Please help me

Actually projecting is the only way I can think of that will achieve what you need. But it is not perfect and will require manual tweaking of vertices.
There are programs that will allow various ways of projecting a mesh to another 3d model.

I have done something similar but I don't remember exactly in what program - I think it was in Softimage XSI but I am not sure.

What you're talking about is called "morphing." Check out the 3Ds Max or Maya morpher modifiers. They do exactly what you need. I also recommend starting out from a mesh w/ a specific vertex/edge structure, then simply copying and tweaking it to change the shape.

In any case, the morpher tools in Max / Maya should allow you to use equivalent-vertex-structure meshes to tween between one shape and another.