Adding item to NSMenu with action selector preset

Question

I'm new to Obj-C/Cocoa programming, and I'm having an issue trying to dynamically add menu items to an NSMenu instance and have the items action selector already set upon insertion.

I can, add the dynamic menu items fine, but the action selector doesn't trigger when the item is clicked via the menu.

The first line below is the line of code I am using to add the menu item. You can set I'm setting the action:(SEL)aSelector to the "openEchowavesURL" function.

This function is in the same controller class file and I've included the function definition below.

Am I just calling the wrong selector syntax or someting? Or what is the trick to get the menu item to call a selector when clicked?

---

[statusMenu insertItemWithTitle:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%d - %@", convo.newMessagesCount, convo.ewName] action:@selector(openEchowavesURL:) keyEquivalent:@"" atIndex:0];

---

- (void)openEchowavesURL:(id)sender {
    // function details here
}

Answer 1

If you want the action to be triggered against your object, you have to specify a target for the new NSMenuItem:

NSMenuItem *item = [statusMenu insertItemWithTitle:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%d - %@", convo.newMessagesCount, convo.ewName] action:@selector(openEchowavesURL:) keyEquivalent:@"" atIndex:0];
[item setTarget:self]; // or whatever target you want

If you don't do it, then the NSResponder chain will be walked until an object responds to the selector.

Answer 2

Actions need a target or else they get sent to nil and then new rules apply.