37

I have a strange problem with "git submodule init"

When I added the submodules using "git submodule add url location" it cloned the repository just fine and everything was ok.

When I pushed all my changes back to the parent repository, added the .gitmodules files, etc and cloned the repository back, I tried to initialise all the submodules using "git submodule init"

And nothing happens :( Literally nothing, no output, no extra files, it does not even attempt to do anything actually.

So I am wondering, what did I do wrong?

.gitmodules:

bash$ cat .gitmodules
[submodule "projects/subprojectA"]
    path = projects/subprojectA
    url = ssh://user@bitbucket.company.com/test/projectA.git

[submodule "projects/subprojectB"]
    path = projects/subprojectB
    url = ssh://user@bitbucket.company.com/test/projectB.git
Christopher Thomas
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3 Answers3

45

ok, I have figured out what I did wrong.

When I added the git submodules, I did a git status and it told me three things had changed

.gitmodules
projects/subprojectA
projects/subprojectB

when I was pushing all my changes to the repository, I didnt want to commit the submodules, cause I thought it would add all the files I just cloned, so I just did a git add .gitmodules and committed and pushed that.

But this is wrong, you need to do a git commit and commit everything it tells you, then when you do this, git registers those paths and when you clone, it will work.

but if you do not commit those folders, it wont register them and wont clone them when you clone the parent repository.

so that was my mistake, I misunderstood that adding those directories would add all the submodules code to the parent repository, I tried to sidestep that and it stopped working.

so just add your submodules and commit the results, it will all work out just fine :D

Thanks for Protectators help, regardless!

Christopher Thomas
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    Thanks!!! You saved my life!!! Sorry but I am so happy I need to thank you, I have been debugging for hours! – Zennichimaro May 12 '17 at 03:05
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    Totally agree! You have no idea how much this was driving me crazy lol – SolThoth Jul 06 '17 at 22:17
  • Thanks. I am using Submodules in GitLab and their documentation doesnt mention this at all – lostiniceland Dec 02 '19 at 14:25
  • Thanks! Does anyone know why git subodule does it this way? Between `.gitmodules`, `.git/modules` and needing to commit them like this, the module registration seems very redundant. – Tau Dec 05 '20 at 15:08
  • So if this happens the file is missing which points to the commit id of the submodule. The easiest way to fix is to re-add the submodule. – Thomas Aug 19 '21 at 16:18
17

Following worked for me in case of the googletest submodule:

git submodule add --force https://github.com/google/googletest.git googletest

So, you need to manually add submodule (note the --force flag).

NutCracker
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7

Use the --recursive option when cloning. This option initializes all listed submodules :

git clone --recursive

In another case, if you want to initialize submodules of an git you just cloned, you can use 

git submodule update --init --recursive
Kewin Dousse
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