1. I am using the 16-bit serial mode with SPI configuration, diagnostics, and monitoring. How can I set the eight outputs in this mode?
If so, the output level will be up to the previous SPI setting. You can use other serial mode to setup the eight outputs after setting up configuration registers.
Another choice is to use Global Configuration Inputs to enable/disable global open-load detection, use 8-bit serial mode with SPI setting and diagnostics, or 16-bit serial mode with SPI setting, configuration, diagnostics, and monitoring to set up eight outputs.
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2. I am using two of these ICs connected in daisy-chain fashion. In what order should I send configtation and settings bits for each IC. And wouldn't the bits meant for second IC also configure and set the first IC as well?
According to below description about MAX14900E serial interface,
When the CS input transitions low, diagnostics and status information is sampled and stored in the internal SPI shift register and the SDO output becomes active. This data is clocked out of SDO on each falling CLK edge while new SDI data is sampled and stored in the shift register on each rising CLK edge. When CS transitions high at the end of the SPI cycle, the current data in the SPI shift register is latched into the MAX14900E and the new configuration and/or setting data changes the driver states.
For 2 chips of MAX14900E daisy-chain, if you need to use 16-bits serial mode, you will need to send out total 32-bits (16-bits for each MAX14900E), then pull /CS high to latch the data into MAX14900Es.
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