SPI read write for 32bits data

Using Arduino Microcontrollers
4

You can use a 'union' to efficiently and quickly convert a long to a series of four bytes or 2 ints or vice versa:

#include <SPI.h>

union FourByte{
    unsigned long bit32;
    unsigned int bit16[2];
    unsigned char bit8[4];
};

void setup(){
  SPI.begin();
  
  //save a 32bit value
  unsigned long someValue = 0xFFFFFFFEUL;
  //transmit 32bit value:
  transfer(someValue);
  
  //read 32bit value
  someValue = transfer(0);
  
  //read and write at the same time.
  someValue = transfer(someValue);

  //concatinate ints:
  FourByte bob;
  bob.bit16[0] = 10;
  bob.bit16[1] = 20;
  
  transfer(bob.bit32); //sends 1310730 = 20*65536+10

  //concatinate bytes:
  bob.bit8[0] = 0x1; //1
  bob.bit8[1] = 2; //2
  bob.bit8[2] = 0b11; //3
  bob.bit8[3] = B100; //4
  
  transfer(bob.bit32); //transfers 0x04030201
}

unsigned long transfer(unsigned long value){
  FourByte data = {value};
  for(byte i = 0; i < 4; i++){
    data.bit8[i] = SPI.transfer(data.bit8[i]);
  }
  return data.bit32;
}