---
name: "mitem_new"
section: "3menu"
platform: "linux"
package: "ncurses-doc"
version: "5.9+20140913-1+deb8u3"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/menu_new/3menu"
---

# mitem\_new(3menu)

create and destroy menu items

Part of [menu\_new(3menu)](/menu_new/3menu.md).

## NAME

**mitem\_new** - create and destroy menu items

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<menu.h\>**\
 ITEM \*new\_item(const char \*name, const char \*description);\
 int free\_item(ITEM \*item);\

## DESCRIPTION

The function **new\_item** allocates a new item and initializes it from the **name** and **description** pointers. Please notice that the item stores only the pointers to the name and description. Those pointers must be valid during the lifetime of the item. So you should be very careful with names or descriptions allocated on the stack of some routines.\
 The function **free\_item** de-allocates an item. Please notice that it is the responsibility of the application to release the memory for the name or the description of the item.

## RETURN VALUE

The function **new\_item** returns **NULL** on error. It sets errno according to the function's failure:

- **E\_BAD\_ARGUMENT**

  Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.

- **E\_SYSTEM\_ERROR**

  System error occurred, e.g., malloc failure.

The function **free\_item** returns one of the following:

- **E\_OK**

  The routine succeeded.

- **E\_BAD\_ARGUMENT**

  Routine detected an incorrect or out-of-range argument.

- **E\_CONNECTED**

  Item is connected to a menu.

- **E\_SYSTEM\_ERROR**

  System error occurred (see **errno**).

## SEE ALSO

**ncurses**(3NCURSES), **menu**(3MENU).

## NOTES

The header file **\<menu.h\>** automatically includes the header file **\<curses.h\>**.

## PORTABILITY

These routines emulate the System V menu library.  They were not supported on Version 7 or BSD versions.

## AUTHORS

Juergen Pfeifer.  Manual pages and adaptation for new curses by Eric S. Raymond.