# What is an alternative to using backticks in separating namespaces from function names?

What is an alternative to the backtick () in separating the namespace from the function name?

Can the function be called without using this symbol? I think in early versions of Mathematica one could use :: but it does not seem to work now.

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You remember wrongly. :: (MessageName[]) was always intended for messages, and the backtick was always intended to delimit a context and a function from that context. What exactly is your problem with the backtick? –  Guess who it is. May 25 '12 at 7:15
@j.m On an iPhone/iPad entering a backtick is rather time consuming. So, editing code here on MMA.SE containing a context path is extremely annoying. Other than that, I can't think of a reason for wanting to replace the backtick. –  Sjoerd C. de Vries May 25 '12 at 13:50
@SjoerdC.deVries maybe some write mma code on iPads? –  acl May 25 '12 at 14:26
@acl Wolfram is rumored to develop a iPad implementation. I hope they include the W|A keyboard, as my experience with backticking code on an iPad has lead to quite some curses. –  Sjoerd C. de Vries May 25 '12 at 15:25
@SjoerdC.deVries most likely a reader... –  acl May 25 '12 at 15:46

testfoo[x_] := x^2 (* original function in test context *)

Even more baroque: ToExpression["test" <> "\\[" <> "RawBackquote" <> "]" <> "foo"][x] –  Guess who it is. May 25 '12 at 7:30
@J.M. ToExpression[ "test" <> Uncompress["1:eJxTTMoPCmZkYGBIAAAM0wH5"] <> "foo"][x] –  The Toad May 25 '12 at 7:36
ToExpression[ TextRecognize@ Rasterize[ Style[Row[{"test", "\[NegativeVeryThinSpace]", Rotate[",", Pi/2, {0, 1.5}], "f"}], FontSize -> 40]]][x]` –  Rojo May 25 '12 at 17:10