How to fix: error: '' does not have a commit checked out fatal: adding files failed when inputting “git add .” in command prompt

Question

I\'m trying to add a ruby rails file to my repository in gitlab but it somehow wouldn\'t allow me to add the file saying that my file does not have commit checked out.

Answer 1

To add to Mario's (correct) answer and resolve this type of issue which can be quite common (e.g.in scaffolding an application using an app generator inside a repository top folder, and it generates its own .git file), you can run the following commands to cleanup and get the files checked in properly to git.

cd {{appname}}
rm -rf .git 
# rm -r -fo .git # if on Windows powershell
cd ..    
git add .