How do I fix a merge conflict due to removal of a file in a branch?

Question

I have create a dialog branch and when I try to merge it to master branch. There are 2 conflicts. I don't know how to resolve CONFLICT (delete/modify). Can you please tell me what to do?

$ git checkout master
$ git merge dialog
CONFLICT (delete/modify): res/layout/dialog_item.xml deleted in dialog and modified in HEAD. Version HEAD of res/layout/dialog_item.xml left in tree.
Auto-merging src/com/DialogAdapter.java
CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in src/DialogAdapter.java
Automatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.

I have opened src/DialogAdapter.java, fixed the conflict and did a git add src/DialogAdapter.java. What else do I need to do?

Answer 1

The conflict message:

CONFLICT (delete/modify): res/layout/dialog_item.xml deleted in dialog and modified in HEAD

means that res/layout/dialog_item.xml was deleted in the 'dialog' branch you are merging, but was modified in HEAD (in the branch you are merging to).

So you have to decide whether

• remove file using "git rm res/layout/dialog_item.xml"

or

• accept version from HEAD (perhaps after editing it) with "git add res/layout/dialog_item.xml"

Then you finalize merge with "git commit".

Note that git will warn you that you are creating a merge commit, in the (rare) case where it is something you don't want. Probably remains from the days where said case was less rare.