Apparatus and methods related to microcode instructions indicating instruction types

An apparatus, comprising:

• a controller configured to store a number of microcode instructions, wherein each of the number of microcode instructions comprises a number of type select bits and a number of control data units, wherein:
• when a value of the number of type select bits in a particular one of the microcode instructions is a first value, then the particular microcode instruction is of a first instruction type and a value of the number of control data units is used to control a component within the controller;
• and
• when the value of the number of type select bits in the particular one of the microcode instructions is a second value, then the particular microcode instruction is of a second instruction type and the value of the number of control data units is used to control the component outside of the controller.

A system, comprising:

• a controller configured to execute a microcode instruction, the microcode instruction comprising:
• a number of type select data units, wherein each value of the number of type select data units corresponds to a respective one of a number of instruction types;
• and
• a number of control data units whose functions are variable based on a respective instruction type indicated by a value of the number of type select data units;
• the controller further configured to, when the microcode instruction is executed:
• responsive to a value of the number of types select data units indicating a first instruction type, control a component within the controller based on a value of at least one of the number of control data units;
• and
• responsive to a value of the number of types select data units indicating a second instruction type, control a component outside of the controller based on a value of the at least one of the number of control data units and a value of the number of type select data units indicating a second instruction type.