diff --git a/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/app_base.js b/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/app_base.js
index 2f9f23ff29..730a43fc8d 100644
--- a/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/app_base.js
+++ b/phpgwapi/js/jsapi/app_base.js
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ var AppJS = Class.extend({
 	 * Internal application name - override this
 	 */
 	appname: '',
+	
+	/**
+	 * Internal reference to etemplate2 widget tree
+	 */
+	et2: null,
 
 	/**
 	 * Initialization and setup goes here, but the etemplate2 object
@@ -66,6 +71,7 @@ var AppJS = Class.extend({
 	 * Clean up any created objects & references
 	 */
 	destroy: function() {
+		delete this.et2;
 		delete window.app[this.appname];
 	},
 
@@ -77,5 +83,83 @@ var AppJS = Class.extend({
 	 * @param et2 etemplate2 Newly ready object
 	 */
 	et2_ready: function(et2) {
+		if(this.et2 === null)
+		{
+			this.et2 = et2.widgetContainer;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			egw.debug('warn', "Tried to overwrite et2 object");
+		}
+	},
+		
+	/**
+	 * Open an entry.  
+	 * 
+	 * Designed to be used with the action system as a callback
+	 * eg: onExecute => app.<appname>.open
+	 * 
+	 * @param _action
+	 * @param _senders
+	 */
+	open: function(_action, _senders) {
+		var id_app = _senders[0].id.split('::')
+		egw.open(id_app[1], this.appname);
+	 },
+		 
+	/**
+	 * A generic method to action to server asynchronously
+	 * 
+	 * Designed to be used with the action system as a callback.
+	 * In the PHP side, set the action
+	 * 'onExecute' => 'javaScript:app.<appname>.action', and 
+	 * implement _do_action(action_id, selected)
+	 * 
+	 * @param {egwAction} _action 
+	 * @param {egwActionObject[]} _elems
+	 */
+	action: function(_action, _elems)
+	{
+		// let user confirm select-all
+		var select_all = _action.getManager().getActionById("select_all");
+		var confirm_msg = (_elems.length > 1 || select_all && select_all.checked) && 
+			typeof _action.data.confirm_multiple != 'undefined' ?
+				_action.data.confirm_multiple : _action.data.confirm;
+				
+		if (typeof confirm_msg != 'undefined')
+		{
+			var that = this;
+			var action_id = _action.id;
+			et2_dialog.show_dialog(function(button_id,value)
+			{
+				if (button_id != et2_dialog.NO_BUTTON)
+				{
+					that._do_action(action_id, _elems);	
+				}
+			}, confirm_msg, egw.lang('Confirmation required'), et2_dialog.BUTTONS_YES_NO, et2_dialog.QUESTION_MESSAGE);
+		}
+		else if (typeof this._do_action == 'function')
+		{
+			this._do_action(_action.id, _elems);			
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			// If this is a nextmatch action, do an ajax submit setting the action
+			var nm = null;
+			var action = _action;
+			while(nm == null && action.parent != null)
+			{
+				if(action.data.nextmatch) nm = action.data.nextmatch;
+				action = action.parent;
+			}
+			if(nm != null)
+			{
+				var value = {};
+				value[nm.options.settings.action_var] = _action.id;
+				nm.set_value(value);
+				nm.getInstanceManager().submit();
+			}
+		}
 	}
+		
 });