diff --git a/states.py b/states.py
index 99fa320..fb19d27 100644
--- a/states.py
+++ b/states.py
@@ -62,10 +62,9 @@ class States(PA):
         # this is any next/prev or noo, grouping, etc. change (so use referrer to work out what to do with this)
         # because this can happen on a view, or files_up, etc. change this FIRST
         if 'change_file_opts' in request.path:
-            ref=request.referrer
             base=request.base_url
             base=base.replace("change_file_opts", "")
-            self.url = "/"+ref.replace(base, "" )
+            self.url = "/"+request.referrer.replace(base, "" )
 
         # if view_list, then we really are a view, and view_eid should be in the form
         if 'view_list' in request.path:
@@ -82,16 +81,18 @@ class States(PA):
             else:
                 # GET's occur on redirect, and we don't have a form, so get it from pref
                 st=self.url[8:]
-                ref=request.referrer
-                if 'search' in ref:
-                    st=re.sub( '.+/search/', '', ref )
+                if request.referrer and 'search' in request.referrer:
+                    st=re.sub( '.+/search/', '', request.referrer )
                 else:
                     st=''
                 pref=PA_UserState.query.filter(PA_UserState.pa_user_dn==current_user.dn,PA_UserState.path_type==self.path_type,PA_UserState.view_eid==self.view_eid,PA_UserState.orig_search_term==st).first()
                 if not pref:
-                    SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: pref not found - DONT CLOSE THIS!!! dn={current_user.dn}, st={st}, s={self}????" , log_level="error", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                    SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: pref not found - dn={current_user.dn}, st={st}, s={self}????" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
                     redirect("/")
                 else:
+                    if not hasattr( pref, 'orig_url' ):
+                        SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: orig_url not in pref - dn={current_user.dn}, st={st}, self={self}, pref={pref}????" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                        redirect("/")
                     self.url = pref.orig_url
 
         if 'files_ip' in self.url or 'file_list_ip' in self.url:
@@ -123,22 +124,28 @@ class States(PA):
         elif 'view' in self.url:
             # use url to get eid of viewed entry
             self.view_eid = self.url[6:]
-            self.path_type="View"
+            # force this to be a search so rest of code won't totally die, but also not return anything
+            self.path_type="Search"
             self.orig_url=self.url
         elif 'change_file_opts' not in self.url:
-            SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: DDP messed up, failed to match URL {self.url} for settings this will fail, redirecting to home" , log_level="error", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
-            SetFELog( message=f"referrer={request.referrer}" , log_level="error",
-            persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+            SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: DDP messed up, failed to match URL {self.url} for settings this will fail, redirecting to home" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+            SetFELog( message=f"referrer={request.referrer}" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
             return
 
         if self.path_type == 'View':
             pref=PA_UserState.query.filter(PA_UserState.pa_user_dn==current_user.dn,PA_UserState.path_type==self.path_type,PA_UserState.view_eid==self.view_eid,PA_UserState.orig_search_term==self.orig_search_term).first()
+            if not hasattr( self, 'orig_ptype' ):
+                self.orig_ptype='View'
+                self.orig_url=''
+                SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: No orig ptype? s={self} - pref={pref}, redirecting to home" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                SetFELog( message=f"referrer={request.referrer}" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                redirect("/")
+
             # should find original path or search for this view (if not a search, search_term='')
             orig_pref=PA_UserState.query.filter(PA_UserState.pa_user_dn==current_user.dn,PA_UserState.path_type==self.orig_ptype,PA_UserState.orig_search_term==self.orig_search_term).first()
             if not orig_pref:
-                SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: DDP messed up 2, failed to find orig_pref for a view pt={self.path_type} for search={self.orig_search_term}" , log_level="error", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
-                SetFELog( message=f"referrer={request.referrer}" , log_level="error",
-                persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                SetFELog( message=f"ERROR: DDP messed up 2, failed to find orig_pref for a view pt={self.path_type} for search={self.orig_search_term}" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                SetFELog( message=f"referrer={request.referrer}" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
                 return
         elif self.path_type == 'Search':
             pref=PA_UserState.query.filter(PA_UserState.pa_user_dn==current_user.dn,PA_UserState.path_type==self.path_type,PA_UserState.orig_search_term==self.orig_search_term).first()
@@ -255,8 +262,8 @@ class States(PA):
                     self.offset += int(self.how_many)
                 else:
                     # should be impossible now, but leave jic
-                    SetFELog( message=f"WARNING: next image requested, but would go past end of list? - ignore this" , log_level="warning", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
-                    SetFELog( message=f"DDP - offset={self.offset} + how_many={self.how_many} > num_entries={self.num_entries}" , log_level="error", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                    SetFELog( message=f"WARNING: next image requested, but would go past end of list? - ignore this" , level="warning", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
+                    SetFELog( message=f"DDP - offset={self.offset} + how_many={self.how_many} > num_entries={self.num_entries}" , level="danger", persistent=True, cant_close=True )
             if 'current' in request.form:
                 self.current = int(request.form['current'])