There are 2 life-cycle methods that you need to know that are self-explanatory 

 public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu){..} //where you either inflate the xml or programatically add menu-items public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item){..} //where you write code for action onClick 

 //MainActivity.java @Override public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu){// Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present. //getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu); //Adding Menu Items Programatically menu.add(Menu.NONE, ITEM_COLORS_ID, Menu.NONE, R.string.colors); menu.add(Menu.NONE, ITEM_DAYS_OF_WEEK_ID, Menu.NONE, R.string.days_of_week); menu.add(Menu.NONE, ITEM_QUIT_ID, Menu.NONE, R.string.quit); //Is Quit Menu, a good practice for Android app?? return true} @Override public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item){int id = item.getItemId(); //if (id == R.id.action_settings){return true} if (id == ITEM_COLORS_ID){final String[] colors ={"Black", "Blue", "Green", "Red", "Orange", "White"}; final Set<String> favouriteColors = new HashSet<String>(); final boolean[] choices ={true, false, false, false, false, false, false}; final AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(MainActivity.this); builder.setTitle("My Favourite Colors"); builder.setMultiChoiceItems(colors, choices, new OnMultiChoiceClickListener(){@Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which, boolean isChecked){if(isChecked){favouriteColors.add(colors[which])} else{favouriteColors.remove(colors[which])} } }); builder.setPositiveButton("Ok", new OnClickListener(){@Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which){Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "So you like " + favouriteColors.toString() + ", ha?", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show()} }); builder.show()} else if (id == ITEM_DAYS_OF_WEEK_ID ){final String[] days ={"Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday"}; AlertDialog.Builder alertDialogBuilder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this); alertDialogBuilder.setTitle("Sample Options"); alertDialogBuilder.setItems(days, new OnClickListener(){@Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which){String day = days[which]; Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "So you like " + day + ", ha?", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show()} }); alertDialogBuilder.setNegativeButton("Cancel", null); alertDialogBuilder.show()} else if (id == ITEM_QUIT_ID){finish()} // return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item); return true}