Schematically, using SPI Storm device requires the following steps:

1) Define a configuration file (.ssp)

The configuration file contains the following information:

- It contains the definition of the accesses that you'll use with SPI Storm device (by means of the 'segments', 'devices' and, ultimately 'macros').

For instance, if you wish to access a device with SPI protocol at 20 MHz, given an access length of 13 bits and using SS line 0, this will be defined with SPI Storm Studio and saved into a .ssp file.

.ssp files are text files that can be edited with any text editor.

However, it is recommended to use SPI Storm Studio GUI to define it, as drop down menus and wizards will help defining the accesses.

- If applicable, the .ssp file will also contain initial values, GPO patterns, triggers and programs to be executed.

Please note: even if you are using the DLL  from your own programming / third-party environment, you MUST define a configuration (.ssp) file.
Schematically, the program will first load the .ssp file for the running session and call the macros defined into the configuration file to access slave devices.

2) Connecting your SPI Storm device

- For this, a valid license file that corresponds to your device serial number must be installed.
Please refer to the Getting Started Guide.

3) Define a sequence of accesses and run it

- If you are using the GUI, the 'Program tab' will be used to define this program. Prior to executing it, the configuration mus be saved. The sequence of accesses to be run is stored into the .ssp file as well.
- If you are using the DLL from your own programming environment, you can:

* either run a program saved into the configuration file (.ssp). In this case, the program was previously defined with the SPI Storm Studio GUI and the programming environment is a kind of 'batch mode'.
* or define your sequence of accesses from your programming environment directly. In this case, you'll use 'spis_execmacro' functions, which allow calling one macro (= one type of access) defined in the .ssp file. The macros are referenced with their label name.

For a list of the available functions in the DLL, please use the SPI Storm Studio C library user's guide.