nwjs/nw.js · error · TypeError

Invalid MenuItem type: {option.type}

Error message

Invalid MenuItem type: {option.type}

What it means

Thrown by the nw.MenuItem constructor when option.type is set to a value other than 'normal', 'checkbox', or 'separator'. If type is omitted it defaults to 'normal'; an explicit invalid value is rejected.

Source

Thrown at src/resources/api_nw_menuitem.js:32

  try{obj.emit('click')}catch(e){console.error(e)}
});

function MenuItem(option) {
  if (!(this instanceof MenuItem)) {
    return new MenuItem(option);
  }
  EventEmitter.apply(this);

  if (typeof option != 'object')
    throw new TypeError('Invalid option.');

  if (!option.hasOwnProperty('type'))
    option.type = 'normal';

  if (option.type != 'normal' &&
      option.type != 'checkbox' &&
      option.type != 'separator')
    throw new TypeError('Invalid MenuItem type: ' + option.type);

  if (option.type == 'normal' || option.type == 'checkbox') {
    if (option.type == 'checkbox')
      option.checked = Boolean(option.checked);

    if (!option.hasOwnProperty('label'))
      throw new TypeError('A normal MenuItem must have a label');
    else
      option.label = String(option.label);

    if (option.hasOwnProperty('icon')) {
      option.shadowIcon = String(option.icon);
      option.icon = nwNative.getAbsolutePath(option.icon);
    }

    if (option.hasOwnProperty('iconIsTemplate'))
      option.iconIsTemplate = Boolean(option.iconIsTemplate);
    else

View on GitHub (pinned to e15da848e9)

Solutions

1. Use one of 'normal', 'checkbox', 'separator' (lowercase).
2. Omit type to default to 'normal'.
3. For radio-like behavior, use 'checkbox' and manage mutually-exclusive checked state yourself.

Example fix

// before
new nw.MenuItem({ type: 'radio', label: 'Opt' });
// after
new nw.MenuItem({ type: 'checkbox', label: 'Opt' });

const allowed = ['normal', 'checkbox', 'separator'];
if (option.type && allowed.indexOf(option.type) === -1) option.type = 'normal';

function isMenuItemType(v) { return ['normal', 'checkbox', 'separator'].indexOf(v) !== -1; }

try { new nw.MenuItem(opt); } catch (e) { if (/Invalid MenuItem type/.test(e.message)) { opt.type = 'normal'; new nw.MenuItem(opt); } else throw e; }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `new nw.MenuItem({ type: 'radio' })`, `new nw.MenuItem({ type: 'button' })`, or `new nw.MenuItem({ type: 'Normal' })` (case mismatch).

Common situations: Porting code from Electron (which supports 'radio'); typo; case sensitivity.

Related errors

• Invalid option.
• Invalid MenuItem type: {option.type}
• A normal MenuItem must have a label
• 'click' must be a valid Function
• Invalid menu type: {option.type}

AI-assisted analysis of nwjs/nw.js@e15da848e9 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/763f298fc7ffa029. Report an issue: GitHub.