Problem Problem with scenario editor

[DrEStrangelove]

Using scenario editor, I can't place any vessel in stable orbit around a body other than Earth. Whenever I'm trying to set the semi-major axis to something that makes sense, it always makes it negative, with huge eccentricity, so that there is no apoapsis. It won't let me set eccentricity lower than 1, or SMa other than negative. What am I doing wrong?

EDIT: Actually, not even other than Earth. I place a new body in orbit around Earth without any problems, but trying to place another one, I end up with crazy SMas and eccentricities, which it won't let me change. Here's an example:

 

[Urwumpe]

Using scenario editor, I can't place any vessel in stable orbit around a body other than Earth. Whenever I'm trying to set the semi-major axis to something that makes sense, it always makes it negative, with huge eccentricity, so that there is no apoapsis. It won't let me set eccentricity lower than 1, or SMa other than negative. What am I doing wrong?

EDIT: Actually, not even other than Earth. I place a new body in orbit around Earth without any problems, but trying to place another one, I end up with crazy SMas and eccentricities, which it won't let me change. Here's an example:

Sounds weird, do you set the new parameters before selecting the new reference body?

 

[DrEStrangelove]

I don’t get the chance to do so. When I’m clicking “new” in the vessel menu, it locks these values, so I always end up with odd parameters that I can’t change. When I’m changing the reference body, it copies the odd Ecc and creates something that can’t be called an orbit - it doesn’t have an apoapsis so it moves further and further away from the body.

 

[Marijn]

From what I remember, you have to modify the values one by one and apply them. Modifying more parameters before applying could lead to odd results. Perhaps that is the issue.

By default, Orbiter saves the orbit as state vectors in the scenario files, like

RPOS 4595508.49 -2356114.60 4075775.92
RVEL -5093.198 -5216.763 2726.795

These are equivalent to the easier-to-use Keplerian elements the scenario editor uses. You can also use the Keplerian format in the scenario files if you want. It's described on page 30 of the OrbiterConfig.pdf in the doc folder.

So you could try setting the orbit by modifying the .scn file and enter your values there. If Orbiter crashes on launch, then there's a mistake somewhere. If not, you have your orbit.