Display decimal degrees as degrees minutes seconds?

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02-12-2016 08:20 AM
LinGreenaway
New Contributor

I'm fairly new to ArcGIS, but I have a question that I assumed would be easy that I am having a very hard time finding the answer to. 

I have a set of x,y coordinates that I created and calculated using the 'Calculate Geometry' option in the data table.  I have decimal degree values in these two fields that look right, but in order to make a map, I want to display these values as degrees, minutes, seconds for printing.

I don't need to change the values, I don't want to reproject them, all I want is for them to show up on the map as degrees, minutes, seconds.  I've been using vbScript to display values in the formats I want, but I can't seem to find how to go about coding to make x, y coordinates show up as DMS -

I had assumed this would be the easiest thing in the world to do, and maybe it is to those of you more familiar with ArcGIS.  Maybe it is so obvious no one ever bothered to document it but I kind of need idiot-proof directions.  Can someone please provide some help?

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Clarson
New Contributor III

If you use the Convert Coordinate Notation geoprocessing tool you can use DMS. Just type DMS in the "Output Coordinate Format" field. (it isn't available in the dropdown, but it does work.)

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11 Replies
AdrianWelsh
MVP Honored Contributor

Where are you wanting to see Degrees Minutes Seconds?

In ArcMap, you can go into the Data Frame properties (right click on Layers and go to Properties) and under the General tab, you can change your Map units to whatever is needed.

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LinGreenaway
New Contributor

Yes, I know how to do that, but I need the DMS to show up as labels on the points on a printed map.  I am trying to get them to print on the map as DMS and am trying to code for that using an expression in the label tab of the properties menu.

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Clarson
New Contributor III

Could you just add new x & y fields in your attribute table and modify your existing VB script for use in the field calculator? Then you could just base your label text off of the new fields.

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LinGreenaway
New Contributor

Do you mean, add new calculated fields using degrees minutes seconds format? 

When I calculated the fields, the only format option for x,y was decimal degrees.  I would definitely have taken DMS if it was an option.  I assumed I'd be able to easily convert it in the label expression -

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AdrianWelsh
MVP Honored Contributor

One thing you could do is add another field that would show the DMS and then make labels off of this.

I found this blog post that mentions using the Convert Coordinate Notation geoprocessing tool to do this:

Converting and Displaying Coordinates in ArcGIS 10 | ArcGIS Blog

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LinGreenaway
New Contributor

I did actually read that document in my search for an answer to this, but while it shows you how to convert from DMS to decimal, it doesn't show you the other way round. 

I was sort of hoping for something simpler than making new fields; a function like Round() or DD(), or something easy like that, but I am starting to wonder if there isn't anything like that out there.

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Clarson
New Contributor III

If you use the Convert Coordinate Notation geoprocessing tool you can use DMS. Just type DMS in the "Output Coordinate Format" field. (it isn't available in the dropdown, but it does work.)

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Capture1.PNG

LinGreenaway
New Contributor

Yes! that did work - added two fields, but if that's the way you need to do it, that's the way you need to do it.

Thank you for this - I really doubt I'd have figured this out on my own.  I'm very grateful!

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Clarson
New Contributor III

No problem. That's what GeoNet is for!

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