--- openide.explorer/apichanges.xml	
+++ openide.explorer/apichanges.xml	
@@ -50,6 +50,21 @@ 
 <apidef name="explorer">Explorer API</apidef>
 </apidefs>
 <changes>
+    <change id="PropertySheetExtensions">
+        <api name="explorer"/>
+        <summary>PropertySheet extensions</summary>
+        <version major="6" minor="47"/>
+        <date day="30" month="8" year="2012"/>
+        <author login="saubrecht"/>
+        <compatibility binary="compatible" source="compatible" deprecation="no" deletion="no" addition="yes"/>
+        <description>
+            PropertySheet class has new methods which allow subclasses to provide custom
+            popup menu, check expansion state, expand/collapse property categories,
+            retrieve the selected property.
+        </description>
+        <class package="org.openide.explorer.propertysheet" name="PropertySheet"/>
+        <issue number="217624"/>
+    </change>
     <change id="OutlineView_setPropertyColumnAttribute">
         <api name="explorer"/>
         <summary>setPropertyColumnAttribute() method added to OutlineView</summary>
--- openide.explorer/manifest.mf	
+++ openide.explorer/manifest.mf	
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ 
 OpenIDE-Module: org.openide.explorer
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/openide/explorer/Bundle.properties
 AutoUpdate-Essential-Module: true
-OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.46
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 6.47
 
--- openide.explorer/src/org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/PropertySheet.java	
+++ openide.explorer/src/org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/PropertySheet.java	
@@ -859,12 +859,16 @@ 
     final void showPopup(Point p) {
         if( !popupEnabled )
             return;
+
+        JPopupMenu popup = createPopupMenu();
+
+        if( null == popup ) {
         JMenuItem helpItem = new JMenuItem();
         JRadioButtonMenuItem sortNamesItem = new JRadioButtonMenuItem();
         JRadioButtonMenuItem unsortedItem = new JRadioButtonMenuItem();
         JCheckBoxMenuItem descriptionItem = new JCheckBoxMenuItem();
         JMenuItem defaultValueItem = new JMenuItem();
-        JPopupMenu popup = new JPopupMenu();
+            popup = new JPopupMenu();
 
         unsortedItem.setSelected(getSortingMode() == UNSORTED);
         sortNamesItem.setSelected(getSortingMode() == SORTED_BY_NAMES);
@@ -887,9 +891,53 @@ 
         popup.add(defaultValueItem);
         popup.add(new JSeparator());
         popup.add(helpItem);
+        }
         popup.show(psheet, p.x, p.y);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Subclasses may override this method to create a custom popup menu that will
+     * show on right-click in the property sheet.
+     * @return Custom popup menu or null to use the default popup menu provided
+     * by this class.
+     * @since 6.47
+     */
+    protected JPopupMenu createPopupMenu() {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Check if the PropertySet the given property belongs to is expanded or not.
+     * @param fd Property or PropertySet to check.
+     * @return True if the PropertySet the given property belongs is expanded.
+     * @since 6.47
+     */
+    protected final boolean isExpanded( FeatureDescriptor fd ) {
+        return table.getPropertySetModel().isExpanded( fd );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Expand or collapse the PropertySet the given property belongs to.
+     * @param fd 
+     * @since 6.47
+     */
+    protected final void toggleExpanded( FeatureDescriptor fd ) {
+        int index = table.getPropertySetModel().indexOf( fd );
+        if( index >= 0 ) {
+            table.getPropertySetModel().toggleExpanded( WIDTH );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieve currently selected property or PropertySet.
+     * @return Selected property or PropertySet or null if there is no selection.
+     * @since 6.47
+     */
+    protected final FeatureDescriptor getSelection() {
+        return table.getSelection();
+    }
+
+
     Node[] getCurrentNodes() {
         Node n = pclistener.getNode();