9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, the medium comprising: instructions for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for editing components of a virtual instrument panel, the GUI including a panel layout area, a program dialog area, and an Input/Output (I/O) device library area, the panel layout area including one or more icons representing the components of the virtual instrument panel, the components of the virtual instrument panel associated with respective sections of code in a textual language program for executing the components of the virtual instrument panel, and including a first component represented by a first icon in the panel layout area that corresponds with a first section of code, the program dialog area displaying at least a portion of the textual language program, and the I/O device library area including I/O device icons representing interfaces to data sources; instructions for receiving through the GUI a user selection of an editing operation for the first section of code; instructions for performing the editing operation for the first section of code during an execution of the components of the virtual instrument panel; instructions for programmatically performing a synchronized operation on the first icon in the panel layout area that corresponds to the editing operation for the first section of code in response to performing the editing operation, the synchronized operation performed on the first icon during the execution of the components of the virtual instrument panel; instruction for programmatically adding a second section of code associated with a first I/O device icon to the program dialog area, in response to moving the first I/O device icon from the I/O device library area to the panel layout area; and instructions for programmatically adding a third second of code associated with a second I/O device icon to the program dialog area, in response to moving the second I/O device icon from the I/O device library area to the panel layout area, wherein the first and second I/O device icons are different, and the data sources include one or more of a physical data acquisition board, a physical instrument, or a memory location external to the data processing device.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, the medium comprising: instructions for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) for editing components of a virtual instrument panel, the GUI including a panel layout area, a program dialog area, and an Input/Output (I/O) device library area, the panel layout area including one or more icons representing the components of the virtual instrument panel, the components of the virtual instrument panel associated with respective sections of code in a textual language program for executing the components of the virtual instrument panel, and including a first component represented by a first icon in the panel layout area that corresponds with a first section of code, the program dialog area displaying at least a portion of the textual language program, and the I/O device library area including I/O device icons representing interfaces to data sources; instructions for receiving through the GUI a user selection of an editing operation for the first section of code; instructions for performing the editing operation for the first section of code during an execution of the components of the virtual instrument panel; instructions for programmatically performing a synchronized operation on the first icon in the panel layout area that corresponds to the editing operation for the first section of code in response to performing the editing operation, the synchronized operation performed on the first icon during the execution of the components of the virtual instrument panel; instruction for programmatically adding a second section of code associated with a first I/O device icon to the program dialog area, in response to moving the first I/O device icon from the I/O device library area to the panel layout area; and instructions for programmatically adding a third second of code associated with a second I/O device icon to the program dialog area, in response to moving the second I/O device icon from the I/O device library area to the panel layout area, wherein the first and second I/O device icons are different, and the data sources include one or more of a physical data acquisition board, a physical instrument, or a memory location external to the data processing device. 10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for receiving through the GUI a user selection of an editing operation for the first section of code comprise: instructions for receiving a user selection of a deletion operation for the first section of code, further wherein the instructions for programmatically performing a synchronized operation on the first icon in the panel layout area comprise: instructions for deleting the first icon in the panel layout area.