I'm working in a collaborative space, so at first I thought it was just a setting someone had changed, so I scoured through the preferences and forums to try to find the issue. Could find anyone else that had the same.

I have several files where when I click on a path, an object far removed from the cursor will select. I can ALT through the z list of objects "under" the mouse and see the selection jump all over the canvas. This happens at all zoom levels, when I group and ungroup everything, and when I combine and uncombine all the paths. It also happens with "sticky select" or when I press ALT and paint to select; it selects several objects that aren't in the select path. I've uploaded the original file and a video of the issue. In that video, the cursor isn't moving, but you can see the selection change as I hold the ALT key. I open the layer menu to show that nothing is grouped.

The desktop is a Windows 10 Pro, they were using 1.2, but I just installed 1.3.2 and the problem persists. I've also had the issue on computers at work that are on Windows 11 / version 1.3.2. On the forums, the only post I could find that was similar was something having to do with the text boxes back in 2014: https://alpha.inkscape.org/vectors/www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic24b1-2.html?t=17244.

Have any of you seen the error before, or did I miss something on the forums?

The stroke widths were set to hairline and non-scaling stroke. I reset the stroke widths to 1 px and behavior seems to be better.

Before proceeding further, I'd reset the preferences. https://inkscape.org/forums/questions/getting-back-to-square-one-and-starting-over-its-easy/

Ooh, good lead! I typically work in hairline as a general rule because I usually design for lasers. But maybe that's a good step to leave to just before the cutting. I'll reset pref's and try that workaround out when I get home! Thank you.

I'd still think it's a bug for hairline stroke, though. I'll update if it works on my end.