Lua script to split up DMS coordinates into variables

splitDMScoords.lua

dmsDB = metadata.GPS    -- metadata.GPS is derived from Lightroom database as 48°12'30" N 16°22'28" (refers to Vienna)
dms1 = string.gsub(dmsDB, "%s+", "")
posdeg1 = string.find(dms1, "°")
posmin1 = string.find(dms1, "'")
possec1 = string.find(dms1, '"')
deglat = string.sub(dms1,1,posdeg1-1)
minlat = string.sub(dms1,posdeg1+2,posmin1-1)
seclat = string.sub(dms1,posmin1+1,possec1-1)
dirlat = string.sub(dms1,possec1+1,possec1+1)
-- got the first part alright
-- in the second part of dms1, the problem with single and double digits eg. 8 vs. 08 needs to be solved.
-- so do the same again starting after the first '"'.
dms2 = string.sub(dms1,possec1+2)
posdeg2 = string.find(dms2, "°")
posmin2 = string.find(dms2, "'")
possec2 = string.find(dms2, '"')
deglng = string.sub(dms2,1,posdeg2-1)
minlng = string.sub(dms2,posdeg2+2,posmin2-1)
seclng = string.sub(dms2,posmin2+1,possec2-1)
dirlng = string.sub(dms2,possec2+1,possec2+1)
-- now we've got 8 variables for the 8 values in the original string.
-- start dms2dec conversion