You can use the \setupreferencestructureprefix command set a different 
value for
the stopper but you have to ensure the key takes a value because a empty
argument is ignored. Instead of the argument I used in my example 
(\symbol[none])
you can also use a unicode character without width, e.g. \zerowidthspace.


\setupreferencestructureprefix [section] [default] 
[prefixstopper={\symbol[none]}]
%\setupreferencestructureprefix [section] [default] 
[prefixstopper=\zerowidthspace]

   1. Argument: section name -> section == \section / \startsection
   2. Argument: reference type -> default == \in
   3. Argument: settings which differ from \setuphead


Wolfgang
> Idris Samawi Hamid ادريس سماوي حامد <mailto:Idris.Hamid@colostate.edu>
> 29. Juni 2018 um 16:22
> Dear gang,
>
> For, e.g., \setuphead[...][alternative=text], one often wants the 
> stopper to appear in the main text sectioning but not in the 
> references to those sections. For example (attached and below):
>
> =======
> \setuphead[chapter]   [alternative=normal]
> \setuphead[subsection][alternative=text]
> \setuphead[subsection][distance=0em,
>                        textdistance=0.7em,
>                        sectionstopper=.,
>                        criterium=local]
> \setupwhitespace[big]
> \starttext
>
> \startchapter[title={First},reference={}]
> \startsubsection[title={},reference={reference1}]
> \input ward
>
> See \in{Sections}[reference3] and \in{Section}[reference4].
> \stopsubsection
> \startsubsection[title={},reference={reference2}]
> \input ward
> \stopsubsection
> \stopchapter
>
> \startchapter[title={Second}]
> \startsubsection[title={},reference={reference3}]
> \input ward
> \stopsubsection
> \startsubsection[title={},reference={reference4}]
> \input ward
>
> See \in{Sections}[reference1] and \in{Section}[reference2].
> \stopsubsection
> \stopchapter
> \stoptext
> =======
>
> See Sections 2.1. and Section 2.2..
> See Sections 1.1. and Section 1.2..
>
> SHOULD BE
>
> See Sections 2.1 and Section 2.2.
> See Sections 1.1 and Section 1.2.
>
> Is there a straightforward way to remove the stopper from the \in 
> reference while maintaining it in the main sectioning but removing it 
> in the referencing?
>
> If there is no straightforward way, what is the best workaround?
>
> As mentioned at the outset, this is not an uncommon scenario. If there 
> is no straightforward way, would like to make it a feature request.
>
> Thank you in advance for your help.
>
> Idris
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