def Convert2CoordNum(text):
    #convert to FracDeg Coord if possible
    dm = REO_LatLonNE.findall(text) #returns list of tuples of groups [(deg,min)]
    if dm:
        deg = float(dm[0][0])
        min_ = float(dm[0][1])
        return (deg + min_/60.0)

    dm = REO_LatLonSW.findall(text) #returns list of tuples of groups [(deg,min)]
    if dm:
        deg = float(dm[0][0])
        min_ = float(dm[0][1])
        return (-(deg + min_/60.0))

    try:
        return (Convert2Num(text))
    except ValueError:
        raise ValueError("Expected CoordNum got '{0}'".format(text))
converts text to python type in order
dataset/ETHPy150Open ioflo/ioflo/ioflo/base/building.py/Convert2CoordNum