GtkMenu check

["D. Brian Gosnell" <brian-g unbounded com>]

I need to be able to check if a submenu or item exists so I don't create
duplicates.   Something like:

  if( !popup_menu->path ) {
       menu_items = gtk_menu_item_new_with_label (name);
      gtk_menu_append (GTK_MENU (popup_menu), menu_items);
  }

How is this acomplished?  How does one define a path to a menu item?

Thanks in advance,

DBrian