Commit includes rename which was not staged, nor actually performed

From: Erwin Bonsma <erwin.bonsma@gmail.com>
Date: Apr 8, 2020, 19:28 UTC
Message-ID: <CAG5PFTvqnR-aeJ=+4W5A5WKqJ8Wq3JsD7J5QjwprE+Nws+=YBg@mail.gmail.com>

Hi,

I encountered a problem with git version 2.24.1 (Apple Git-126). When committing changes to a single file, the commit included a rename, which was not staged, nor actually carried out.

More specifically:

> git status

On branch unwanted-rename
Changes to be committed:
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)
modified:   it.xliff

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
Pending/it.xliff.todo

> git commit -m "Some fixes"

[unwanted-rename 98098ab] Some fixes
 2 files changed, 792 insertions(+), 826 deletions(-)
 rename de.xliff => Pending/it.xliff.todo (56%)

> git log --name-only HEAD~1..HEAD

commit 98098abe5bc9c10a644009e6d185fa967941caca (HEAD -> unwanted-rename)
Author: Erwin Bonsma <eriban@users.sourceforge.net>
Date:   Wed Apr 8 20:47:09 2020 +0200

    Some fixes

Pending/it.xliff.todo it.xliff

> ls de.*

de.xliff # The file is still present

> git status

On branch unwanted-rename
Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
Pending/it.xliff.todo # The file is still untracked

> rm Pending/it.xliff.todo
> git checkout master
> git checkout unwanted-rename

Now let's inspect the resulting revision again.

> ls de.*

ls: de.xliff: No such file or directory # The file is now gone, as commit suggested

> ls Pending/it.xliff.*

Pending/it.xliff.todo # The untracked, removed file was indeed added to source control

The changes can be reproduced on the unwanted-rename branch available at https://git.code.sf.net/p/grandperspectiv/localization

The branch includes the wrong commit. To reproduce it:

> git reset --soft HEAD~1
> git restore --staged de.xliff
> git restore --staged Pending/it.xliff.todo
> git restore de.xliff

Now working copy is ready for replay.

> git status

On branch unwanted-rename
Your branch is behind 'origin/unwanted-rename' by 1 commit, and can be
fast-forwarded.
  (use "git pull" to update your local branch)

Changes to be committed:
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)
modified:   it.xliff

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
Pending/it.xliff.todo

> git commit -m "Some fixes"

[unwanted-rename 4d1368c] Some fixes
 2 files changed, 792 insertions(+), 826 deletions(-)
 rename de.xliff => Pending/it.xliff.todo (56%)

Cheers, Erwin