C / C++ / MFC

// call this with menu names such as:
// menu_name = &Tools\Toolbars
// menu_option = "My menu item text"
// menu_index = COMMAND_ID of menu option
// first = true when you call it yourself
// suggested_position = position in menu to put command (-1 = add to end of menu)
bool AddMenuItem(CMenu *menu, CString& menu_name, CString& menu_option, int menu_index, bool first, int suggested_position)
{
	int			sub_menu = 0 ;
	int			num_items = 0 ;
	CString		pop_up_menu_name = "" ;
	CString		name ;
	int			pos = 0 ;

	// check to see wether we need to find a popup of this menu
	pos = menu_name.Find('\\') ;			// -1 if no separator
	if (pos < 0)
		{
		// find the popup menu with this name and append the item to the bottom
		num_items = menu->GetMenuItemCount() ;
		// look for the correct sub menu to add this item to
		for (sub_menu = 0 ; sub_menu < num_items ; sub_menu++)
			{
			menu->GetMenuString(sub_menu, pop_up_menu_name, MF_BYPOSITION) ;
			if (pop_up_menu_name == menu_name)
				break ;				// found correct popup
			}
		if (sub_menu == num_items)
			{
			// pop_up menu does not exist, add it
			CMenu	*menuPopup ;
			menuPopup = new CMenu ;
			menuPopup->CreatePopupMenu() ;
			// add this item to the menu
			menuPopup->AppendMenu(MF_STRING, menu_index, _T(menu_option)) ;
			// insert the new popup menu. If its on the top level, then add just to left of window menu
			if (first)
				menu->InsertMenu(num_items - 2, menu_name, MF_POPUP | MF_BYPOSITION, (UINT)menuPopup->m_hMenu, NULL, 0) ;
			else
				{
				// add to end if suggested_position < 0
				if (suggested_position < 0)
					menu->InsertMenu(num_items, menu_name, MF_POPUP | MF_BYPOSITION, (UINT)menuPopup->m_hMenu, NULL, 0) ;
				else
					menu->InsertMenu(suggested_position, menu_name, MF_POPUP | MF_BYPOSITION, (UINT)menuPopup->m_hMenu, NULL, 0) ;
				}
			}
		else
			{
			menu->GetSubMenu(sub_menu)->AppendMenu(menu_option, MF_OWNERDRAW, menu_index);
			}
		}
	else
		{
		// need to do recursive call on menu name
		// find the first level popup menu
		name = menu_name.Left(menu_name.Find('\\')) ;		// get menu name section
		menu_name = menu_name.Right(menu_name.GetLength() - name.GetLength() - 1) ;		// lose popup name and delimiter
		// find the popup menu with this name and then do  a recursive call without this popups name, but passing this popup
		num_items = menu->GetMenuItemCount() ;
		// look for the correct sub menu to add this item to
		for (sub_menu = 0 ; sub_menu < num_items ; sub_menu++)
			{
			menu->GetMenuString(sub_menu, pop_up_menu_name, MF_BYPOSITION) ;
			if (pop_up_menu_name == name)
				break ;				// found correct popup
			}
		if (sub_menu == num_items)
			{
			// pop_up menu does not exist, add it, then do recursive call
			CMenu	*menuPopup ;
			menuPopup = new CMenu ;
			menuPopup->CreatePopupMenu() ;
			// do recursive call on this menu
			AddMenuItem(menuPopup, menu_name, menu_option, menu_index, bitmap, false, suggested_position) ;
			}
		else
			{
			// no need to create popup, just do recursive call on it
			CMenu	*menuPopup ;
			menuPopup = menu->GetSubMenu(sub_menu) ;
			// do recursive call on this menu
			AddMenuItem(menuPopup, menu_name, menu_option, menu_index, bitmap, false, suggested_position) ;
			}
		}
	return true ;
}