Could Not Move Because no layer selected

Every answer I have read so far goes on about how the transform tool changed a long time ago. This question is not about transforming anything. I simply want to select a layer automatically. I have the option selected and I click the item on a layer that I would like to select and I get the message that I couldn't move the layer because no layer was selected. I'm not trying to move anything.

I tried carefully clicking in case my mouse was registering a change in position when I clicked. Nope. I let someone else try it--the same thing. I can't isolate when it happens, but it seems to be happening a lot more often. Anybody else have this problem?

I can't really figure out in what context it could possible be reasonable for Photoshop to give this error message when just trying to select a layer? Who cares if you have a layer selected, that's what I am trying to do.