Trouble deleting file from tracking using Git

Question

I have a weird problem with untracking file. I have a tracked file index.css. Then I add it to .gitignore. Then I run the following and get an output:

$ git rm --cached build/development/css/index.css
rm 'build/development/css/index.css'

Running git status gives the following:

$ git status
On branch master
Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'.

Changes to be committed:
  (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)

        deleted:    build/development/css/index.css

When try to commit changes I get the following error:

Error:On branch master
Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'.
nothing to commit, working directory clean
 during executing git commit --only -F C:\Users\dtv\AppData\Local\Temp\git-commit-msg-7154374096157077481.txt -- build/development/css/index.css

If I try to commit the changes to index.css along with outher changes, the commit goes without error. But changes to the file is still detected. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

The problem is the --only option for git commit. From git-commit manpage:

Make a commit only from the paths specified on the command line, disregarding any contents that have been staged so far.

It tries to commit that file, disregarding the previous git rm --cached command from before.