A method and system are presented which will detect combinations of user touches on a touch screen device as nodes, and will create shapes, areas and windows from these nodes. Where the device has a communications capability, the locally defined shapes, areas and windows can be shared with remote users and databases, and similarly shapes, areas and windows created by others can be viewed on a local display. The method and system are of particular benefit to drawing applications, windows definition on touch screen devices, real estate management, navigation, and exploitation of mapping resources.