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Getting "detached HEAD" error despite deleting git submodule

Git seems to be tracking the java folder, but I can't commit changes to the specific file MainActivity.java. I get a "Changes not staged for commit" The diff shows the changes, but I can't commit it.

Also, I can't go down into the folder in Github.

Project structure Commit error

Github structure That folder is not clickable.

Edit: When I do git status in the command line, I get

user:JustJava juil$ git status
HEAD detached at 93ea9a1
Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
  (commit or discard the untracked or modified content in submodules)

        modified:   app/src/main/java/com/example/android/justjava (modified content)

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

Edit 2: I have checked out the latest commit as some have suggested but still get the detached head error.

Current git log

Edit 3: I tried adding the file itself w/ git add but got an error that the directory is a submodule.

JustJava juil$ git add app/src/main/java/com/example/android/justjava/MainActivity.java
fatal: Pathspec 'app/src/main/java/com/example/android/justjava/MainActivity.java' is in submodule 'app/src/main/java/com/example/android/justjava'

I tried running git submodule status and got the error

fatal: no submodule mapping found in .gitmodules for path 'app/src/main/java/com/example/android/justjava'

I tried deleting .git in the submodule, but the same error keeps popping up.

Solution

  • Since justjava folder turned out to be a submodule, in the super directory, I called git rm -rf --cached justjava as suggested by @fusiongate and answered in this question.

    This works in that it allows the file to be added and committed, but the commit history on this file is lost.