--- projectui/src/org/netbeans/modules/project/ui/actions/NewProject.java	
+++ projectui/src/org/netbeans/modules/project/ui/actions/NewProject.java	
@@ -126,8 +126,9 @@ 
         if (f != null) {
             wizard.putProperty(CommonProjectActions.PROJECT_PARENT_FOLDER, f);
         }
-        //#217087 semi-private contract for maven support that carries over properties like groupId and version when creating new submodule.
-        String[] moreProps = (String[]) getValue("initialValueProperties");
+        // carry over properties like e.g. groupId and version from maven when creating new submodule.
+        // see aso issue #217087 and #250190
+        String[] moreProps = (String[]) getValue(CommonProjectActions.INITIAL_VALUE_PROPERTIES);
         if (moreProps != null) {
             for (String key : moreProps) {
                 Object obj = getValue(key);
--- projectui/src/org/netbeans/modules/project/ui/api/ProjectTemplates.java	
+++ projectui/src/org/netbeans/modules/project/ui/api/ProjectTemplates.java	
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ 
 
     /**
      * {@link String}-valued action property for a project category (subfolder code name) to select.
+     * @deprecated use {@link CommonProjectActions.PRESELECT_CATEGORY} instead
      */
-    public static final String PRESELECT_CATEGORY = "PRESELECT_CATEGORY";
+    public static final String PRESELECT_CATEGORY = CommonProjectActions.PRESELECT_CATEGORY;
 
     /**
      * {@link String}-valued action property for a project template (code name within a category) to select.
--- projectuiapi/apichanges.xml	
+++ projectuiapi/apichanges.xml	
@@ -107,6 +107,27 @@ 
     <!-- ACTUAL CHANGES BEGIN HERE: -->
 
     <changes>
+        <change id="newProjectAction.preselectCategory">
+            <api name="general"/>
+            <summary>Provide a method to create an action that invokes the new project wizard, 
+                preselects a category and propagates a set of properties to the wizard descriptor.</summary>
+            <version major="1" minor="80"/>
+            <date day="1" month="4" year="2015"/>
+            <author login="tstupka"/>
+            <compatibility addition="yes"/>
+            <description>
+                <p>
+                    <code>CommonProjectActions.newProjectAction</code> makes it 
+                    so far posible to set the new projects parent folder by a 
+                    property. It would be also usefull to preselect the category 
+                    and to propagate custom properties to the new project wizard 
+                    descriptor.
+                </p>
+            </description>
+            <class package="org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.support" name="CommonProjectActions"/>
+            <issue number="250190"/>
+        </change>
+        
         <change id="server.is.free">
             <api name="general"/>
             <summary>Split the api into a desktop (swing, awt) and NetBeans dependent and independent part.</summary>
--- projectuiapi/src/org/netbeans/spi/project/ui/support/CommonProjectActions.java	
+++ projectuiapi/src/org/netbeans/spi/project/ui/support/CommonProjectActions.java	
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ 
 package org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.support;
 
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 import javax.swing.Action;
 import org.netbeans.modules.project.uiapi.Utilities;
 import org.netbeans.spi.project.ui.LogicalViewProvider;
@@ -71,6 +72,23 @@ 
      */
     public static final String PROJECT_PARENT_FOLDER = "projdir";
     
+    /**
+     * {@link String}-valued action property honored by {@link #newProjectAction} 
+     * that defines the project category (subfolder code name) to be selected.
+     * 
+     * @since 1.80
+     */
+    public static final String PRESELECT_CATEGORY = "PRESELECT_CATEGORY";
+
+    /**
+     * {@link String}[]-valued action property honored by {@link #newProjectAction} 
+     * for propagating custom properties to the new project wizard's 
+     * {@link org.openide.WizardDescriptor}
+     * 
+     * @since 1.80
+     */
+    public static final String INITIAL_VALUE_PROPERTIES = "initialValueProperties";    
+    
     private CommonProjectActions() {}
         
     /**
@@ -206,6 +224,13 @@ 
      * expectations about initial value for wizard
      * choosers that refers to existing sources location.
      * 
+     * <p>{@link #PRESELECT_CATEGORY} keyed action value can carry a {@link String}
+     * that presents a category path to be selected in the new project wizard.
+     * 
+     * <p>{@link #INITIAL_VALUE_PROPERTIES}  keyed action value can carry a 
+     * {@link Map<String, Object>} of custom properties which are propagated to 
+     * the new project wizard's {@link org.openide.WizardDescriptor}
+     * 
      * @return an action
      *
      * @since org.netbeans.modules.projectuiapi/1 1.3
@@ -215,6 +240,30 @@ 
     }    
 
     /**
+     * Creates action that invokes the <b>New Project</b> wizard, preselects the 
+     * given category path and propagates a set of custom properties the wizard's 
+     * {@link org.openide.WizardDescriptor}.
+     * 
+     * @param categoryPath the category path to be selected
+     * @param initialProperties a map of custom properties which are propagated 
+     * to the new project wizard's {@link org.openide.WizardDescriptor}
+     *
+     * @since 1.80
+     * @return an action
+     */
+    public static Action newProjectAction(String categoryPath, Map<String, Object> initialProperties) {
+        Action a = newProjectAction();
+        
+        a.putValue(PRESELECT_CATEGORY, categoryPath );
+        String[] keys = initialProperties.keySet().toArray(new String[initialProperties.size()]);
+        a.putValue(INITIAL_VALUE_PROPERTIES, keys);
+        for (String key : keys) {
+            a.putValue(key, initialProperties.get(key));
+        }
+        return a;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Creates an action that sets the configuration of the selected project.
      * It should be displayed with an action context containing
      * exactly one {@link org.netbeans.api.project.Project}.