in finder, right-clicking on icon deselects it

[karajane]

When I open a folder in Finder with a large amount of images (4,500 photos), I cannot right-click these icons; when I do right-click a selected icon, it deselects it, and the right-click menu reverts to the menu that would show up as if I clicked the background of the finder.
Since this only happens in this folder, and I can click on desktop icons in another Finder window simultaneously, does this mean it is memory issue in that particular window or something? I am trying to organize this massive folder (move to trash, copy, etc) and having to go up to the file menu to do this can get pretty time consuming.
Any advice? Thanks for your help!

-intel macbook 10.4.11

 

[jmann]

When I open a folder in Finder with a large amount of images (4,500 photos), I cannot right-click these icons; when I do right-click a selected icon, it deselects it, and the right-click menu reverts to the menu that would show up as if I clicked the background of the finder.
Since this only happens in this folder, and I can click on desktop icons in another Finder window simultaneously, does this mean it is memory issue in that particular window or something? I am trying to organize this massive folder (move to trash, copy, etc) and having to go up to the file menu to do this can get pretty time consuming.
Any advice? Thanks for your help!

-intel macbook 10.4.11

Maybe you don't have read/write permissions?

 

[karajane]

i do, i've checked; i can do all the things i need to, i just have to do them through the file menu because i can't right-click. i can select the icon with a regular click, but once i use the right-click button, it deselects it and the only command options i have are the ("new folder," "new burn folder," etc), not the ones available if the icon was selected ("open," etc).
this only happens in the "icon preview" view option; not the list view, and does not happen with photo icon previews in other (smaller) folders, such as the desktop. it makes me think that the large number of photo files in this folder has something to do with it.
a small issue, i know, but a pain, since i can't right-click on these files unless i get rid of the preview, which i need to see the photo i am dealing with.

 

[jmann]

i do, i've checked; i can do all the things i need to, i just have to do them through the file menu because i can't right-click. i can select the icon with a regular click, but once i use the right-click button, it deselects it and the only command options i have are the ("new folder," "new burn folder," etc), not the ones available if the icon was selected ("open," etc).
this only happens in the "icon preview" view option; not the list view, and does not happen with photo icon previews in other (smaller) folders, such as the desktop. it makes me think that the large number of photo files in this folder has something to do with it.
a small issue, i know, but a pain, since i can't right-click on these files unless i get rid of the preview, which i need to see the photo i am dealing with.

You should create a new folder and then click on an icon and press cmd+a to select them all, and then move them into a new folder? Then they might work again.

 

[ihabime]

If it only happens in icon mode, with preview set, are you sure all the previews have loaded when you click? 4500 pics could take a considerable time to load.

Also what kind of sorting are you using in that directory, things can move around a lot while the directory is loading and maybe finder isn't updating the icon locations quickly enough.

It could be a finder bug, not many people are likely to have that many things in one folder.

First I'd be sure i had backups then break it up into smaller temporary directories to see if it works itself out.