A user may program a data processor (3) such that external master chip select accesses can be either the same or different length of time than an internal master access through the use of a control register (810). Additionally, the user can turn off the internal transfer acknowledge logic and add external transfer acknowledge logic while still using the internal chip select and write enable generation logic (8) of the data processor. This feature is user programmable on a chip select basis and provides a flexible solution which allows the user to compensate for different external master accesses without requiring external chip select and write enable logic. Therefore, overhead is conserved and efficiency is increased.