Methods and devices provide a quick and intuitive method to launch a specific application, dial a number or send a message by drawing a pictorial key, symbol or shape on a computing device touchscreen, touchpad or other touchsurface. A shape drawn on a touchsurface is compared to one or more code shapes stored in memory to determine if there is a match or correlation. If the entered shape correlates to a stored code shape, an application, file, function or keystroke sequence linked to the correlated code shape is implemented. The methods also enable communication involving sending a shape or parameters defining a shape from one computing device to another where the shape is compared to code shapes in memory of the receiving computing device. If the received shape correlates to a stored code shape, an application, file, function or keystroke sequence linked to the correlated code shape is implemented.