<!--
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  "identifier" : "/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbarItemValidation/validateToolbarItem(_:)",
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  "role" : "Instance Method",
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  "title" : "validateToolbarItem(_:)"
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-->

# validateToolbarItem(_:)

Determines whether to enable or disable the toolbar item.

```
@MainActor func validateToolbarItem(_ item: NSToolbarItem) -> Bool
```

## Discussion

If this method is implemented and returns <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Swift/false>, [`NSToolbar`](/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbar) will disable `item`. Returning <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Swift/true> causes `item` to be enabled.

[`NSToolbar`](/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbar) only calls this method for image items.

> Note:
> <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObject-swift.class/validateToolbarItem:> is called very frequently, so it must be efficient.

If the receiver is the `target` for the actions of multiple toolbar items, it’s necessary to determine which toolbar item `item` refers to by testing the `itemIdentifier`.

```objc
-(BOOL)validateToolbarItem:(NSToolbarItem *)toolbarItem
{
    BOOL enable = NO;
    if ([[toolbarItem itemIdentifier] isEqual:SaveDocToolbarItemIdentifier]) {
        // We will return YES (enable the save item)
        // only when the document is dirty and needs saving
        enable = [self isDocumentEdited];
    } else if ([[toolbarItem itemIdentifier] isEqual:NSToolbarPrintItemIdentifier]) {
        // always enable print for this window
        enable = YES;
    }
    return enable;
}
```

## See Also

[`func validateVisibleItems()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbar/validateVisibleItems())

Validates the toolbar’s visible items during a window update.

[`var action: Selector?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbarItem/action)

The action method to call when someone clicks on the toolbar item.

[`var target: AnyObject?`](/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbarItem/target)

The object that defines the action method the toolbar item calls when clicked.

[`func validate()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSToolbarItem/validate())

Validates the toolbar item’s menu and its ability to perfrom its action.


---

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