Length of future path?

[komatii]

Is there a way to set how long the line showing an objects future path is? For example, when I'm adjusting parameters for a body orbiting another, the line doesn't go very far.
I'd like to see at least as far ahead as a single orbit, because I can't really tell how elliptical my objects orbit is going to be as I change numbers, or even if I'm changing them such that it won't be in the same place after a single orbit.
Being able to tell where it's going to go over an orbit or two without having to play the simulation would be a big help.

komatii

[vh]

ok, the lenght of future path, you see changing constantly and this is because it is showing the future, IF all other bodies are suddenly frozen forever. because they're not, the future path line is often inaccurate and wiggles around. THus, it is worthless to make it much longer than it currently is.

if you mess with the eccentricity enough, you'll eventually get the hang of it and know exactly how the orbit will look, it just takes some practice imo.

[Bla]

I think projected paths only become inaccurate when there are other bodies affecting it, if it's just a simple system with planets far away from each other, orbiting a much more massive star, they should be accurate enough.
But I don't think you can adjust their length, like you can do with trails.

[vh]

a 2 body-system is fine for projected path, maybe even a 3 body system if they are space very far apart
but if i'm right, isn't the projected path essential a sort of like a time-step? it calculated based on where the other bodies are at that moment and not in the future which is why the proj. path constantly changes.

[Darvince]

Yeah, I think it is calculated for where ever the bodies happens to be when you're looking at them.

[Dan Dixon]

Correct. There's no way currently for the user to change the length of the project path.

I'll consider this idea (and you should add to the idea list).
http://universesandbox.com/forum/index.php/topic,3094.0.html