Imported DMS points from CSV to a point layer. Do I need to convert DMS points to Decimal Degrees to use metric distance units for Buffer?

Question

DMS - Degrees Minutes Seconds

Buffer tool only shows degrees as the distance unit (not meter or kilometer)

1. Do I need to convert DMS points to Decimal Degrees to use metric distance units for Buffer?

2. Is there a plug-in that automatically converts DMS to DD in QGIS?

Or is

Answer 1

Decimal degrees will still use geographic degrees as the distance unit in the Buffer processing algorithm.

You can either reproject your layer to a projected coordinate system by right clicking the layer and selecting export --> save features as --> and save it to a vector format such as geopackage or shapefile and select a projected CRS appropriate for your zone (e.g. EPSG: 32651). The buffer tool will then use meters as distance unit.

Or, a much quicker and in my opinion, better way would be to create a buffer using a virtual layer.

Go to Layer --> Add layer --> Add/edit virtual layer and use something like this as your query.

select st_buffer(st_transform(geometry, 32651), 100) from Calapan_XYpoints

Just change the 100 argument to your required buffer distance in meters

Answer 2

This happens when you´re using Geographic coordinates (regardless to the format: DMS or DD). To solve that, you can: A - reproject you point Layer to an Projected CRS through the Reproject layer tool available in processing toolbox or B - you can export / save as your point layer to a new shapefile with a projected CRS.

Note: If you use an UTM Projection, you will be able to perform the buffer specifying distance in meters. Make sure you specify the right zone.