A method and apparatus for processing program instructions, utilizes native fixed
length instructions that include at least one flag modification enable bit. The
flag modification enable bit is typically sent with the operation code and other
information in the native instruction and is set to allow updating of one or more
flags, such as stored in flag registers, associated with non-native instructions,
such as variable length instructions. In addition, a flag modification enable bit
may be set to preserve flag bit setting for variable length instructions that are
emulated using the fixed length native instructions, to prevent overwriting of
flag settings during emulation of variable length instructions.
