A symbol generator can be configured to receive various user input data, and can encode one or more programming bar codes based on the input data. Such input data can include designators for files. The input data can also include commands to be executed by a device reading the one or more programming bar codes.

A portable device is equipped with a broadcasting operating mode in which the broadcasting portable device executes a verbatim memory data image copying to another device or plurality of devices equipped with receiving modes of operation. Single-threaded OS free commands may be utilized to control both the broadcasting and receiving devices during a data copy session. In another aspect, a reprogramming system includes a symbol generator and a reconfigurable device. The symbol generator processes user input data to encode a reprogramming symbol, and the reconfigurable device reads the reprogramming symbol.