SELECT dbo.LongitudeFix('23°10''354"')

ALTER FUNCTION LongitudeFix ( @input VARCHAR(80) )

RETURNS FLOAT

AS

BEGIN

IF @input IS NULL

BEGIN

--Just return NULL if input string is NULL

RETURN 0.00

END

--Character variable declarations

DECLARE @output FLOAT

DECLARE @first FLOAT

DECLARE @middle FLOAT

DECLARE @Last FLOAT

--Integer variable declarations

SET @output = 0.00

SET @input = REPLACE(@input, 'S', '')

SET @input = REPLACE(@input, 'E', '')

SET @input = REPLACE(@input, 'N', '')

SET @input = REPLACE(@input, 'W', '')

SET @input = REPLACE(@input, '-', '')

SET @input = REPLACE(@input, ' ', '')

--Variable/Constant initializations

IF ( LEN(@input) > 8 )

BEGIN

SET @first = CAST(LEFT(@input, 2) AS FLOAT)

SET @middle = CAST(SUBSTRING(@input, 4, 2) AS FLOAT) / 60

SET @Last = CAST(REPLACE(SUBSTRING(@input, 7, 4), '"', '') AS FLOAT)

SET @output = @first + @middle + @Last / 3600 * 100000

/ 100000

END

RETURN ROUND(@output,6)

END

GO

I'd love to just have

BEGIN TRY

SELECT @output = CAST(LEFT(@input, 2) AS FLOAT)+

CAST(SUBSTRING(@input, 4, 2) AS FLOAT) / 60+

CAST(REPLACE(SUBSTRING(@input, 7, 4), '"', '') AS FLOAT) / 3600 * 100000 / 100000

END TRY

CATCH TRY

RETURN NULL

END TRY

Much simpler IMO... No check for evvvvvvverrrrrrrrry single possible type of entry. Just does it fit the format, yes/no if yes then churn out answer if no, then nullify... 😎