diff --git a/src/api/routes.ts b/src/api/routes.ts
index 5250e95b..13935781 100644
--- a/src/api/routes.ts
+++ b/src/api/routes.ts
@@ -168,12 +168,18 @@ api.get(
 
 // export current versions of all records in this notebook as csv
 api.get(
-  '/notebooks/:id/:viewid.csv',
+  '/notebooks/:id/:viewID.csv',
   requireAuthenticationAPI,
   async (req, res) => {
     if (req.user && userHasPermission(req.user, req.params.id, 'read')) {
-      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/csv');
-      streamNotebookRecordsAsCSV(req.params.id, req.params.viewid, res);
+      try {
+        res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/csv');
+        streamNotebookRecordsAsCSV(req.params.id, req.params.viewID, res);
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.log('Error streaming CSV', err);
+        res.json({error: 'error creating CSV'});
+        res.status(500).end();
+      }
     } else {
       res.json({error: 'notebook not found'});
       res.status(404).end();
diff --git a/src/buildconfig.ts b/src/buildconfig.ts
index fa9882ea..edfce9d9 100644
--- a/src/buildconfig.ts
+++ b/src/buildconfig.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function is_testing() {
 
 function couchdb_internal_url(): string {
   let couchdb = process.env.COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL;
-  const couchdbDefault = 'http://localhost:5984/';
+  const couchdbDefault = 'http://localhost:5984';
   if (couchdb === '' || couchdb === undefined) {
     console.log('COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL not set, using default');
     return couchdbDefault;
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ function couchdb_internal_url(): string {
 
 function couchdb_public_url(): string {
   let couchdb = process.env.COUCHDB_PUBLIC_URL;
-  const couchdbDefault = 'http://localhost:5984/';
+  const couchdbDefault = 'http://localhost:5984';
   if (couchdb === '' || couchdb === undefined) {
     console.log('COUCHDB_PUBLIC_URL not set, using default');
     return couchdbDefault;
diff --git a/src/couchdb/index.ts b/src/couchdb/index.ts
index 0d21cbb3..4655ced3 100644
--- a/src/couchdb/index.ts
+++ b/src/couchdb/index.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export const getDirectoryDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
   if (!_directoryDB) {
     const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
 
-    const directorydb = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + DIRECTORY_DB_NAME;
+    const directorydb = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + DIRECTORY_DB_NAME;
     try {
       _directoryDB = new PouchDB(directorydb, pouch_options);
     } catch (error) {
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export const getUsersDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
   if (!_usersDB) {
     const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
 
-    const dbName = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + PEOPLE_DB_NAME;
+    const dbName = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + PEOPLE_DB_NAME;
     _usersDB = new PouchDB(dbName, pouch_options);
   }
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export const getUsersDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
 export const getProjectsDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
   if (!_projectsDB) {
     const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
-    const dbName = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + PROJECTS_DB_NAME;
+    const dbName = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + PROJECTS_DB_NAME;
     try {
       _projectsDB = new PouchDB(dbName, pouch_options);
     } catch (error) {
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export const getProjectsDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
 export const getInvitesDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
   if (!_invitesDB) {
     const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
-    const dbName = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + INVITE_DB_NAME;
+    const dbName = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + INVITE_DB_NAME;
     try {
       _invitesDB = new PouchDB(dbName, pouch_options);
     } catch (error) {
@@ -115,21 +115,6 @@ export const getInvitesDB = (): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
   return _invitesDB;
 };
 
-export const createProjectDB = (
-  dbName: string
-): PouchDB.Database | undefined => {
-  const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
-
-  try {
-    const db = new PouchDB(COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + dbName, pouch_options);
-    return db;
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error('error creating project database');
-    console.error(error);
-  }
-  return undefined;
-};
-
 export const getProjectMetaDB = async (
   projectID: ProjectID
 ): Promise<PouchDB.Database | undefined> => {
@@ -140,7 +125,8 @@ export const getProjectMetaDB = async (
         projectID
       )) as unknown as ProjectObject;
       if (projectDoc.metadata_db) {
-        const dbname = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + projectDoc.metadata_db.db_name;
+        const dbname =
+          COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + projectDoc.metadata_db.db_name;
         const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
 
         if (LOCAL_COUCHDB_AUTH !== undefined) {
@@ -166,7 +152,7 @@ export const getProjectDataDB = async (
         projectID
       )) as unknown as ProjectObject;
       if (projectDoc.data_db) {
-        const dbname = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + projectDoc.data_db.db_name;
+        const dbname = COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + projectDoc.data_db.db_name;
         const pouch_options = pouchOptions();
 
         if (LOCAL_COUCHDB_AUTH !== undefined) {
diff --git a/src/couchdb/notebooks.ts b/src/couchdb/notebooks.ts
index 42709485..4a2c8847 100644
--- a/src/couchdb/notebooks.ts
+++ b/src/couchdb/notebooks.ts
@@ -19,15 +19,11 @@
  */
 
 import PouchDB from 'pouchdb';
-import {
-  createProjectDB,
-  getProjectDataDB,
-  getProjectMetaDB,
-  getProjectsDB,
-} from '.';
+import {getProjectsDB} from '.';
 import {CLUSTER_ADMIN_GROUP_NAME} from '../buildconfig';
 import {
   ProjectID,
+  getProjectDB,
   resolve_project_id,
   notebookRecordIterator,
 } from 'faims3-datamodel';
@@ -244,12 +240,10 @@ export const createNotebook = async (
     status: 'published',
   };
 
-  // TODO: check whether the project database exists already...
-  const metaDB = createProjectDB(metaDBName);
+  const metaDB = await getProjectDB(project_id);
   if (!metaDB) {
     return undefined;
   }
-
   // get roles from the notebook, ensure that 'user' and 'admin' are included
   const roles = metadata.accesses || ['admin', 'user', 'team'];
   if (roles.indexOf('user') < 0) {
@@ -280,13 +274,11 @@ export const createNotebook = async (
   // ensure that the name is in the metadata
   metadata.name = projectName.trim();
   await writeProjectMetadata(metaDB, metadata);
-
   // data database
-  const dataDB = createProjectDB(dataDBName);
+  const dataDB = await getDataDB(project_id);
   if (!dataDB) {
     return undefined;
   }
-
   // can't save security on a memory database so skip this if we're testing
   if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
     const dataSecurity = await dataDB.security();
@@ -323,8 +315,8 @@ export const updateNotebook = async (
   uispec: ProjectUIModel,
   metadata: any
 ) => {
-  const metaDB = await getProjectMetaDB(project_id);
-  const dataDB = await getProjectDataDB(project_id);
+  const metaDB = await getProjectDB(project_id);
+  const dataDB = await getDataDB(project_id);
   if (!dataDB || !metaDB) {
     return undefined;
   }
@@ -399,8 +391,8 @@ export const deleteNotebook = async (project_id: string) => {
   if (projectsDB) {
     const projectDoc = await projectsDB.get(project_id);
     if (projectDoc) {
-      const metaDB = await getProjectMetaDB(project_id);
-      const dataDB = await getProjectDataDB(project_id);
+      const metaDB = await getProjectDB(project_id);
+      const dataDB = await getDataDB(project_id);
       if (metaDB && dataDB) {
         await metaDB.destroy();
         await dataDB.destroy();
@@ -452,24 +444,31 @@ export const getNotebookMetadata = async (
   project_id: string
 ): Promise<ProjectMetadata | null> => {
   const result: ProjectMetadata = {};
-  try {
-    // get the metadata from the db
-    const projectDB = await getProjectMetaDB(project_id);
-    if (projectDB) {
-      const metaDocs = await projectDB.allDocs({include_docs: true});
-      metaDocs.rows.forEach((doc: any) => {
-        const id: string = doc['id'];
-        if (id && id.startsWith(PROJECT_METADATA_PREFIX)) {
-          const key: string = id.substring(PROJECT_METADATA_PREFIX.length + 1);
-          result[key] = doc.doc.metadata;
-        }
-      });
-      result.project_id = project_id;
-      return result;
-    } else {
-      console.error('no metadata database found for', project_id);
+  const isValid = await validateNotebookID(project_id);
+  if (isValid) {
+    try {
+      // get the metadata from the db
+      const projectDB = await getProjectDB(project_id);
+      if (projectDB) {
+        const metaDocs = await projectDB.allDocs({include_docs: true});
+        metaDocs.rows.forEach((doc: any) => {
+          const id: string = doc['id'];
+          if (id && id.startsWith(PROJECT_METADATA_PREFIX)) {
+            const key: string = id.substring(
+              PROJECT_METADATA_PREFIX.length + 1
+            );
+            result[key] = doc.doc.metadata;
+          }
+        });
+        result.project_id = project_id;
+        return result;
+      } else {
+        console.error('no metadata database found for', project_id);
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log('unknown project', project_id);
     }
-  } catch (error) {
+  } else {
     console.log('unknown project', project_id);
   }
   return null;
@@ -485,7 +484,7 @@ export const getNotebookUISpec = async (
 ): Promise<ProjectMetadata | null> => {
   try {
     // get the metadata from the db
-    const projectDB = await getProjectMetaDB(project_id);
+    const projectDB = await getProjectDB(project_id);
     if (projectDB) {
       const uiSpec = (await projectDB.get('ui-specification')) as any;
       delete uiSpec._id;
@@ -509,15 +508,17 @@ export const validateNotebookID = async (
   project_id: string
 ): Promise<boolean> => {
   try {
-    const projectDB = await getProjectMetaDB(project_id);
-    if (projectDB) {
-      return true;
-    } else {
-      return false;
+    const projectsDB = getProjectsDB();
+    if (projectsDB) {
+      const projectDoc = await projectsDB.get(project_id);
+      if (projectDoc) {
+        return true;
+      }
     }
   } catch (error) {
     return false;
   }
+  return false;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -530,7 +531,6 @@ export const getNotebookRecords = async (
   project_id: string
 ): Promise<any | null> => {
   const records = await getRecordsWithRegex(project_id, '.*', true);
-  console.log(`got ${records.length} records from ${project_id}`);
   const fullRecords: any[] = [];
   for (let i = 0; i < records.length; i++) {
     const data = await getFullRecordData(
@@ -557,51 +557,137 @@ const getRecordHRID = (record: any) => {
  * generate a suitable value for the CSV export from a field
  * value.  Serialise filenames, gps coordinates, etc.
  */
-const csvFormatValue = (fieldName: string, value: any, hrid: string) => {
+const csvFormatValue = (
+  fieldName: string,
+  fieldType: string,
+  value: any,
+  hrid: string
+) => {
   const result: {[key: string]: any} = {};
-  if (value instanceof Array) {
-    if (value.length === 0) {
-      result[fieldName] = '';
-      return result;
-    }
-    const valueList = value.map((v: any) => {
-      if (v instanceof File) {
-        return generateFilename(v, fieldName, hrid);
-      } else {
-        return v;
+  if (fieldType === 'faims-attachment::Files') {
+    if (value instanceof Array) {
+      if (value.length === 0) {
+        result[fieldName] = '';
+        return result;
       }
-    });
-    result[fieldName] = valueList.join(';');
+      const valueList = value.map((v: any) => {
+        if (v instanceof File) {
+          return generateFilename(v, fieldName, hrid);
+        } else {
+          return v;
+        }
+      });
+      result[fieldName] = valueList.join(';');
+    } else {
+      result[fieldName] = value;
+    }
     return result;
   }
 
   // gps locations
-  if (value instanceof Object && 'geometry' in value) {
-    result[fieldName] = value;
-    result[fieldName + '_latitude'] = value.geometry.coordinates[0];
-    result[fieldName + '_longitude'] = value.geometry.coordinates[1];
+  if (fieldType === 'faims-pos::Location') {
+    if (value instanceof Object && 'geometry' in value) {
+      result[fieldName] = value;
+      result[fieldName + '_latitude'] = value.geometry.coordinates[0];
+      result[fieldName + '_longitude'] = value.geometry.coordinates[1];
+    } else {
+      result[fieldName] = value;
+      result[fieldName + '_latitude'] = '';
+      result[fieldName + '_longitude'] = '';
+    }
     return result;
   }
+
+  if (fieldType === 'faims-core::Relationship') {
+    if (value instanceof Array) {
+      result[fieldName] = value
+        .map((v: any) => {
+          return `${v.relation_type_vocabPair[0]}/${v.record_id}`;
+        })
+        .join(';');
+    } else {
+      result[fieldName] = value;
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
   // default to just the value
   result[fieldName] = value;
   return result;
 };
 
-const convertDataForOutput = (data: any, hrid: string) => {
+const convertDataForOutput = (
+  fields: {name: string; type: string}[],
+  data: any,
+  hrid: string
+) => {
   let result: {[key: string]: any} = {};
-  Object.keys(data).forEach((key: string) => {
-    const formattedValue = csvFormatValue(key, data[key], hrid);
-    result = {...result, ...formattedValue};
+  fields.map((field: any) => {
+    if (field.name in data) {
+      const formattedValue = csvFormatValue(
+        field.name,
+        field.type,
+        data[field.name],
+        hrid
+      );
+      result = {...result, ...formattedValue};
+    } else {
+      console.error('field missing in data', field.name, data);
+    }
   });
   return result;
 };
 
+export const getNotebookFields = async (
+  project_id: ProjectID,
+  viewID: string
+) => {
+  // work out what fields we're going to output from the uiSpec
+  const uiSpec = await getNotebookUISpec(project_id);
+  if (!uiSpec) {
+    throw new Error("can't find project " + project_id);
+  }
+  if (!(viewID in uiSpec.viewsets)) {
+    throw new Error(`invalid form ${viewID} not found in notebook`);
+  }
+  const views = uiSpec.viewsets[viewID].views;
+  const fields: string[] = [];
+  views.forEach((view: any) => {
+    uiSpec.fviews[view].fields.forEach((field: any) => {
+      fields.push(field);
+    });
+  });
+  return fields;
+};
+
+const getNotebookFieldTypes = async (project_id: ProjectID, viewID: string) => {
+  const uiSpec = await getNotebookUISpec(project_id);
+  if (!uiSpec) {
+    throw new Error("can't find project " + project_id);
+  }
+  if (!(viewID in uiSpec.viewsets)) {
+    throw new Error(`invalid form ${viewID} not found in notebook`);
+  }
+  const views = uiSpec.viewsets[viewID].views;
+  const fields: any[] = [];
+  views.forEach((view: any) => {
+    uiSpec.fviews[view].fields.forEach((field: any) => {
+      fields.push({
+        name: field,
+        type: uiSpec.fields[field]['type-returned'],
+      });
+    });
+  });
+  return fields;
+};
+
 export const streamNotebookRecordsAsCSV = async (
   project_id: ProjectID,
   viewID: string,
   res: NodeJS.WritableStream
 ) => {
   const iterator = await notebookRecordIterator(project_id, viewID);
+  const fields = await getNotebookFieldTypes(project_id, viewID);
 
   let stringifier: Stringifier | null = null;
   let {record, done} = await iterator.next();
@@ -616,7 +702,7 @@ export const streamNotebookRecordsAsCSV = async (
       record.updated_by,
       record.updated.toISOString(),
     ];
-    const outputData = convertDataForOutput(record.data, hrid);
+    const outputData = convertDataForOutput(fields, record.data, hrid);
     Object.keys(outputData).forEach((property: string) => {
       row.push(outputData[property]);
     });
@@ -676,7 +762,6 @@ export const streamNotebookFilesAsZip = async (
   // all processed then we can finalize the archive
   archive.on('progress', (entries: any) => {
     if (!doneFinalize && allFilesAdded && entries.total === entries.processed) {
-      console.log('finalizing archive');
       archive.finalize();
       doneFinalize = true;
     }
diff --git a/test/api.test.ts b/test/api.test.ts
index 314ee855..d5aa516a 100644
--- a/test/api.test.ts
+++ b/test/api.test.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ describe('API tests', () => {
   });
 
   it('check is up - authenticated', async () => {
-    console.log('check is up - authenticated');
     const result = await request(app)
       .get('/api/hello')
       .set('Authorization', `Bearer ${adminToken}`);
@@ -205,7 +204,6 @@ describe('API tests', () => {
   });
 
   it('can delete a notebook', async () => {
-    await resetDatabases();
     const filename = 'notebooks/sample_notebook.json';
     const jsonText = fs.readFileSync(filename, 'utf-8');
     const {metadata, 'ui-specification': uiSpec} = JSON.parse(jsonText);
diff --git a/test/couchdb.test.ts b/test/couchdb.test.ts
index 2282d987..333c6c71 100644
--- a/test/couchdb.test.ts
+++ b/test/couchdb.test.ts
@@ -21,11 +21,7 @@ import PouchDB from 'pouchdb';
 PouchDB.plugin(require('pouchdb-adapter-memory')); // enable memory adapter for testing
 PouchDB.plugin(require('pouchdb-find'));
 
-import {
-  getDirectoryDB,
-  getProjectMetaDB,
-  initialiseDatabases,
-} from '../src/couchdb';
+import {getDirectoryDB, initialiseDatabases} from '../src/couchdb';
 import {
   createNotebook,
   getNotebookMetadata,
@@ -45,9 +41,10 @@ import {
   userHasPermission,
 } from '../src/couchdb/users';
 import {CONDUCTOR_INSTANCE_NAME} from '../src/buildconfig';
-import {ProjectUIModel} from 'faims3-datamodel';
+import {ProjectUIModel, getProjectDB} from 'faims3-datamodel';
 import {expect} from 'chai';
 import {resetDatabases} from './mocks';
+import {fail} from 'assert';
 
 const uispec: ProjectUIModel = {
   fields: [],
@@ -155,11 +152,15 @@ describe('notebook api', () => {
 
       const notebooks = await getNotebooks(user);
       expect(notebooks.length).to.equal(1);
-      const db = await getProjectMetaDB(projectID);
+      const db = await getProjectDB(projectID);
       if (db) {
-        const autoInc = (await db.get('local-autoincrementers')) as any;
-        expect(autoInc.references.length).to.equal(2);
-        expect(autoInc.references[0].form_id).to.equal('FORM1SECTION1');
+        try {
+          const autoInc = (await db.get('local-autoincrementers')) as any;
+          expect(autoInc.references.length).to.equal(2);
+          expect(autoInc.references[0].form_id).to.equal('FORM1SECTION1');
+        } catch (err) {
+          fail('could not get autoincrementers');
+        }
       }
     }
   });
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ describe('notebook api', () => {
 
       const notebooks = await getNotebooks(user);
       expect(notebooks.length).to.equal(1);
-      const db = await getProjectMetaDB(projectID);
+      const db = await getProjectDB(projectID);
       if (db) {
         const newUISpec = await getNotebookUISpec(projectID);
         if (newUISpec) {
@@ -330,7 +331,7 @@ describe('notebook api', () => {
           expect(newMetadata['name']).to.equal('Updated Test Notebook');
           expect(newMetadata['project_lead']).to.equal('Bob Bobalooba');
         }
-        const metaDB = await getProjectMetaDB(projectID);
+        const metaDB = await getProjectDB(projectID);
         if (metaDB) {
           const autoInc = (await metaDB.get('local-autoincrementers')) as any;
           expect(autoInc.references.length).to.equal(3);
diff --git a/test/mocks.ts b/test/mocks.ts
index 6b69649e..2c012513 100644
--- a/test/mocks.ts
+++ b/test/mocks.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,17 @@ import PouchDB from 'pouchdb';
 PouchDB.plugin(require('pouchdb-adapter-memory')); // enable memory adapter for testing
 import {ProjectID, DBCallbackObject} from 'faims3-datamodel';
 import {getProjectsDB, getUsersDB, initialiseDatabases} from '../src/couchdb';
+import {COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL} from '../src/buildconfig';
 
 const databaseList: any = {};
 
 const getDatabase = async (databaseName: string) => {
   if (databaseList[databaseName] === undefined) {
-    const db = new PouchDB(databaseName, {adapter: 'memory'});
+    // still use the COUCHDB URL setting to be consistent with
+    // other bits of the code, but this database will be in memory
+    const db = new PouchDB(COUCHDB_INTERNAL_URL + '/' + databaseName, {
+      adapter: 'memory',
+    });
     databaseList[databaseName] = db;
   }
   return databaseList[databaseName];
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ export const cleanDataDBS = async () => {
         await db.destroy();
         //await db.close();
       } catch (err) {
-        console.error(err);
+        //console.error(err);
       }
     }
   }