AJ, I have run into the same issue. One option I started to investigate is using the {foldernum} variable in a supplemental category field (one I don't otherwise use). So if Susan Smith was shot in folder 101, then you'd have 101 in the supplemental category field. That, at the very least, helps you separate the athletes. You could then sort by that supplemental category to group each athlete's photos together. The real solution would be to then use Hot Codes to do a replacement of the 101 to the athlete name. I haven't spent much time investigating that but it certainly would be helpful if it worked when shooting tethered.
Fascinating topic, and it's great to see that others are also thinking about such nerdy subjects. I’ve spent many hours working on a solution and only managed to come up with a light version.
Unfortunately, the Hot Codes {foldernum} variable in combination with FTP upload directly from the camera doesn’t work. One potential solution would be if camera manufacturers (in my case, Canon) appended the folder number to the filename. That way, the folder number could be read during live ingest, and the workflow would function similarly to ingesting from a memory card. However, since the folder structure and filenames on the cameras comply with the Design rule for Camera File system (DCF), a JEITA specification (CP-3461), this isn’t a viable solution.
https://www.jeita.or.jp/cgi-bin/standard_e/pdf.cgi?jk_n=51&jk_pdf_file=CPAnother option would be if the camera had the ability to write the folder number (e.g., 100CANON) into an IPTC field, such as "Image Supplier Image ID." Then, during live ingest, you could use {isii} instead of {foldernum}, and the workflow would work. The fact that cameras can write IPTC fields directly is shown by the photographer name, which is also defined directly in the camera and appears in the corresponding IPTC {photog} field.
I documented all of this in detail and sent it to Canon, but unfortunately never received a response. A pity but understandable, as there are probably only a handful of users besides me who would actually use this.
A light version is still possible, though limited to six options. You can assign star ratings (0–5) to the photos before FTP upload, and thereby influence the ingest using {numstars}.
0-star is used for a general caption, while 1-star might be Susan Smith, 2-star Patrick Miller, and so on.
Addendum: If you change the "Directory structure" in the FTP settings from "Default" to "Camera", the folders (e.g., 100CANON) will be created on the server. In that case, the Hot Codes workflow with the {foldernum} variable does indeed work — however, it leads to numerous empty folders remaining on the FTP server after live ingest, which I’d prefer to avoid.
