exception - Get MenuItem in lower Android versions -

i menuitem in lower android versions. code works fine in android 4.0.3:

_menu.finditem(r.id.menu_item).setvisible(true); 

but app crashes in android 2.3.6. throws nullpointerexception.

how can work in lower android versions?

my code working minsdkversion of 8, , have no problems

for fragments:

@override public void oncreateoptionsmenu(menu menu, menuinflater inflater) {  super.oncreateoptionsmenu(menu, inflater);          inflater.inflate(r.menu.menu_result_search, menu);          menuitem saveitem = menu.finditem(r.id.save_item);               saveitem.setvisible(false);  } 

for activities:

@override     public boolean oncreateoptionsmenu(menu menu) {         super.oncreateoptionsmenu(menu);         menuinflater inflater = getsupportmenuinflater();         inflater.inflate(r.menu.menu_detail, menu);          menuitem upiconactionbar = menu.finditem(r.id.menu_up);         upiconactionbar.setvisible(false);     }