protected function buildItems()
{
$items = array();
if ($this->getItemCollection() !== null) {
$menuLevelCollection = $this->getItemCollection();
} else {
$entryParentNode = $this->findMenuStartingPoint();
if ($entryParentNode === null) {
return $items;
}
$menuLevelCollection = $entryParentNode->getChildNodes($this->getFilter());
}
$items = $this->buildMenuLevelRecursive($menuLevelCollection);
return $items;
}