24. A system for generating a control program utilizing a computer system, the control program executable by a controller to control the operation of a one or more devices, the system comprising: receiving means for receiving one or more instructions of a source program in a high-level text-based language; conversion means, in communication with the receiving means, for converting at least one of the one or more instructions of the source program in the high-level text-based language into first corresponding instructions in a ladder-based language; a user-operated ladder-language editor, in communication with the conversion means, for editing the first corresponding instructions of the source program in the ladder-based language to form an edited source program; and a compiler which compiles the edited source program to form the control program.
24. A system for generating a control program utilizing a computer system, the control program executable by a controller to control the operation of a one or more devices, the system comprising: receiving means for receiving one or more instructions of a source program in a high-level text-based language; conversion means, in communication with the receiving means, for converting at least one of the one or more instructions of the source program in the high-level text-based language into first corresponding instructions in a ladder-based language; a user-operated ladder-language editor, in communication with the conversion means, for editing the first corresponding instructions of the source program in the ladder-based language to form an edited source program; and a compiler which compiles the edited source program to form the control program. 37. The system of claim 24 further comprising: a display device; and first display interfacing means, in communication with the conversion means and the display device, for displaying at least one of the first corresponding instructions of the source program in the ladder-based language as a ladder diagram on the display device.