Floating point instruction with selectable comparison attributes

A computer system for facilitating processing within a computing environment, the computer system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform operations comprising:
• obtaining an instruction to be executed, the instruction to perform a comparison of a first value and a second value;
• and
• executing the instruction, the executing including:
• determining, based on a control of the instruction, a compare function to be performed, wherein the compare function is one of a plurality of different types of compare functions configured for the instruction, the plurality of different types of compare functions including a plurality of techniques for at least one type of compare operation, and wherein the compare function has a plurality of options for comparison;
• selecting, from the plurality of options for the compare function, a compare option to be used to compare the first value and the second value, the compare option selected based on the first value and the second value;
• comparing the first value and the second value using the compare option to obtain a result, the result specific for the compare option selected for the compare function indicated by the control of the instruction;
• and
• placing the result in a select location, the result to be used in processing within the computing environment.

A computer-implemented method of facilitating processing within a computing environment, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• obtaining, by at least one processor, an instruction to be executed, the instruction to perform a comparison of a first value and a second value;
• and
• executing the instruction, the executing including:
• determining, based on a control of the instruction, a compare function to be performed, wherein the compare function is one of a plurality of different types of compare functions configured for the instruction, the plurality of different types of compare functions including a plurality of techniques for at least one type of compare operation, and wherein the compare function has a plurality of options for comparison;
• selecting, from the plurality of options for the compare function, a compare option to be used to compare the first value and the second value, the compare option selected based on the first value and the second value;
• comparing the first value and the second value using the compare option to obtain a result, the result specific for the compare option selected for the compare function indicated by the control of the instruction;
• and
• placing the result in a select location, the result to be used in processing within the computing environment.