1. A code generation and data access system for use in performing operations upon data in data files comprising records, each record comprising fields, the system comprising: a display comprising a plurality of windows; a processor; a memory; a keyboard for receiving user inputs; first means responsive to a first user input for identifying data files and for displaying indicia indicative thereof within a first window of the display; second means responsive to a second user input for selecting a data file, for retrieving information relating to the fields in the selected data file and displaying the information relating to the fields in a second window of the display; means for displaying indicia corresponding to operations performable upon data in a third window of the display; third means responsive to third user inputs for repeatedly selecting an operation from the third window, for displaying within a fourth window a program step template indicative of the selected operation, the template having placeholders, and responsive to fourth user inputs relating to the placeholders for selecting respective field information from the second window, the selected information replacing respective placeholders in the template; whereby a plurality of program statements indicative of the operations and fields selected by the user appear in the fourth window.