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# performActionForItem(at:)

Causes the application to send the action message of a specified menu item to its target.

```
func performActionForItem(at index: Int)
```

## Parameters

`index`

The integer index of a menu item.

## Discussion

If a target is not specified, the message is sent to the first responder. As a side effect, this method posts [`willSendActionNotification`](/documentation/AppKit/NSMenu/willSendActionNotification) and [`didSendActionNotification`](/documentation/AppKit/NSMenu/didSendActionNotification).

In macOS 10.6 and later the `performActionForItemAtIndex:` no longer triggers menu validation. This is because validation is typically done during menu tracking or key equivalent matching, so the subsequent `performActionForItemAtIndex:` validation was redundant. To trigger validation explicitly, use invoke the [`update()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSMenu/update()) method.

In OS X v10.6 `performActionForItemAtIndex:`, when called, now triggers highlighting in the menu bar. It also sends out appropriate accessibility notifications indicating the item was selected.

## See Also

[`performKeyEquivalent(with:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSMenu/performKeyEquivalent(with:))

Performs the action for the menu item that corresponds to the given key equivalent.


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