diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index 66553419..80b22ba7 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ endif
 
 CFILES = \
 	box.c \
-	menu.c \
 	test.c
 HFILES = \
 	ui.h \
diff --git a/menu.c b/menu.c
deleted file mode 100644
index dfe636d7..00000000
--- a/menu.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-// 20 april 2015
-#include "uipriv.h"
-
-#if 0
-TODO
-
-// dummy items for various predefined menu identifiers
-// these are so we can get a definite unique pointer value
-static volatile char dummyQuit = 'q';
-static volatile char dummyPreferences = 'p';
-static volatile char dummyAbout = 'a';
-static volatile char dummySeparator = 's';
-
-const char *const uiMenuItemQuit = &dummyQuit;
-const char *const uiMenuItemPreferences = &dummyPreferences;
-const char *const uiMenuItemAbout = &dummyAbout;
-const char *const uiMenuItemSeparator = &dummySeparator;
-
-#endif
diff --git a/test.c b/test.c
index 0358f6e3..50dbdf28 100644
--- a/test.c
+++ b/test.c
@@ -6,26 +6,26 @@
 // TODO convert to using the new conversion macros
 // TODO why can't these be const?
 
-static uiMenuItem fileMenu[] = {
-	{ "New", uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ "Open", uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ uiMenuItemQuit, uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ NULL, 0 },
+static const uiMenuItem fileMenu[] = {
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeCommand, "New" },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeCommand, "Open" },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeQuit, NULL },
+	{ 0, NULL },
 };
 
-static uiMenuItem editMenu[] = {
-	{ "Undo", uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ uiMenuItemSeparator, uiMenuItemTypeSeparator },
-	{ "Check Me", uiMenuItemTypeCheckbox },
-	{ "A&ccelerator T_est", uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ uiMenuItemPreferences, uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ NULL, 0 },
+static const uiMenuItem editMenu[] = {
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeCommand, "Undo" },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeSeparator, NULL },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeCheckbox, "Check Me" },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeCommand, "A&ccelerator T_est" },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypePreferences, NULL },
+	{ 0, NULL },
 };
 
-static uiMenuItem helpMenu[] = {
-	{ "Help", uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ uiMenuItemAbout, uiMenuItemTypeCommand },
-	{ NULL, 0 },
+static const uiMenuItem helpMenu[] = {
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeCommand, "Help" },
+	{ uiMenuItemTypeAbout, NULL },
+	{ 0, NULL },
 };
 
 static uiMenu menu[] = {
diff --git a/ui.idl b/ui.idl
index 737ce9e2..0a6b0769 100644
--- a/ui.idl
+++ b/ui.idl
@@ -143,28 +143,20 @@ struct Menu {
 };
 
 struct MenuItem {
-	field Name *const char;
 	field Type MenuItemType;
+	field Name *const char;
 };
 
 enum MenuItemType {
+	End,				// Name must be NULL; specicfy this as 0
 	Command,
 	Checkbox,
-	Separator,
+	Quit,				// Name must be NULL
+	Preferences,		// Name must be NULL
+	About,			// Name must be NULL
+	Separator,			// Name must be NULL
 };
 
-// TODO allow these to be specified directly in the IDL
-/* TODO
-raw "extern const char *const uiMenuItemQuit;";
-raw "extern const char *const uiMenuItemPreferences;";
-raw "extern const char *const uiMenuItemAbout;";
-raw "extern const char *const uiMenuItemSeparator;";
-*/
-raw "#define uiMenuItemQuit ((char *)1)";
-raw "#define uiMenuItemPreferences ((char *)2)";
-raw "#define uiMenuItemAbout ((char *)3)";
-raw "#define uiMenuItemSeparator ((char *)4)";
-
 raw "#endif";
 
 };