using SPI, do we need to control the pins?

Yes, you do need to initialize GPIO.

Here is the code generated by STM32Cube:

void HAL_SPI_MspInit(SPI_HandleTypeDef* hspi)
{
 GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitStruct = {0};
 if(hspi->Instance==SPI3)
 {
 /* USER CODE BEGIN SPI3_MspInit 0 */
 
 /* USER CODE END SPI3_MspInit 0 */
 /* Peripheral clock enable */
 __HAL_RCC_SPI3_CLK_ENABLE();
 
 __HAL_RCC_GPIOA_CLK_ENABLE();
 __HAL_RCC_GPIOC_CLK_ENABLE();
 /**SPI3 GPIO Configuration 
 PA15 ------> SPI3_NSS
 PC10 ------> SPI3_SCK
 PC11 ------> SPI3_MISO
 PC12 ------> SPI3_MOSI 
 */
 GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = GPIO_PIN_15;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_AF_PP;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_VERY_HIGH;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Alternate = GPIO_AF6_SPI3;
 HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOA, &GPIO_InitStruct);
 
 GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = GPIO_PIN_10|GPIO_PIN_11|GPIO_PIN_12;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_AF_PP;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_VERY_HIGH;
 GPIO_InitStruct.Alternate = GPIO_AF6_SPI3;
 HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOC, &GPIO_InitStruct);
 
 /* SPI3 DMA Init */
 /* SPI3_RX Init */
 hdma_spi3_rx.Instance = DMA1_Stream0;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.Channel = DMA_CHANNEL_0;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.Direction = DMA_PERIPH_TO_MEMORY;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.PeriphInc = DMA_PINC_DISABLE;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.MemInc = DMA_MINC_ENABLE;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.PeriphDataAlignment = DMA_PDATAALIGN_HALFWORD;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.MemDataAlignment = DMA_MDATAALIGN_HALFWORD;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.Mode = DMA_CIRCULAR;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.Priority = DMA_PRIORITY_HIGH;
 hdma_spi3_rx.Init.FIFOMode = DMA_FIFOMODE_DISABLE;
 if (HAL_DMA_Init(&hdma_spi3_rx) != HAL_OK)
 {
 Error_Handler();
 }
 
 __HAL_LINKDMA(hspi,hdmarx,hdma_spi3_rx);
 
 /* SPI3_TX Init */
 hdma_spi3_tx.Instance = DMA1_Stream5;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.Channel = DMA_CHANNEL_0;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.Direction = DMA_MEMORY_TO_PERIPH;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.PeriphInc = DMA_PINC_DISABLE;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.MemInc = DMA_MINC_ENABLE;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.PeriphDataAlignment = DMA_PDATAALIGN_HALFWORD;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.MemDataAlignment = DMA_MDATAALIGN_HALFWORD;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.Mode = DMA_CIRCULAR;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.Priority = DMA_PRIORITY_VERY_HIGH;
 hdma_spi3_tx.Init.FIFOMode = DMA_FIFOMODE_DISABLE;
 if (HAL_DMA_Init(&hdma_spi3_tx) != HAL_OK)
 {
 Error_Handler();
 }
 
 __HAL_LINKDMA(hspi,hdmatx,hdma_spi3_tx);
 
 /* USER CODE BEGIN SPI3_MspInit 1 */
 
 /* USER CODE END SPI3_MspInit 1 */
 }
 
}

This codd configure the peripheral IP, it does not tell where thr SPI internal signals are routed to which pins, as there are various options. Both SPI and GPIO registere should be cpnfigured. You can run your code, put a breakpoint in your while trnasmitting loop, and manually edit the gpio registers until the main loop sends data through the chosen pin, for example.

not fully absorbing this. I most certainly can break my code at HAL_SPI_Transmit

I can see all of this

I have all the SPI wires on a scope and only the SPI5_NSS / USART7_CTS (PF6/PF9) shows a signal.

It is also possible its my board I'm using. stm32h735ig

the manual shows

Figure 13. P2 STMod+ connector to hold the SPI5 but looking at the pins on the chip, they do not match up right. I find this board document really hard to follow. How can MOSI of SPI 5 be either PF9, PF7, or PE11 ?

I do not care what SPI I use but I need the BGA pins exposed on the board somewhere. anyone know of a page that shows where the pins go?

Also Pmod shows the same.

1 SPI5_NSS / USART7_CTS (PF6/PF9)

2 SPI5_MOSI / USART7_TX (PF9/PF7)

3 SPI5_MISO / USART7_RX (PF8/PF6)

4 SPI5_SCK / USART7_RTS (PF7/PF8)

this is the manual I use but its not very helpful in some respects.

file:///C:/Users/sean_32bvxh7/Downloads/um2679-discovery-kit-with-stm32h735ig-mcu-stmicroelectronics.pdf

oh boy, starting to maybe get this...

So the line I see working is my out data, I know this because changing my data out matches (hard to read without a clock). and my MOSI is configure as PF9 and that happens to be the Pmod 1 (1 SPI5_NSS / USART7_CTS (PF6/PF9) ) Where I see data on the wires

The IOC says SPI5 clock is on PH6 but the board says it can ( or should be ) on PF7/8

So there must be a way to set SCK and MISO to PF pins, but how?

I also see uart7 is in use in my project, maybe this is a conflict?

ah I was able to get it from the LCD connector.