Force C++ to interpret line as a template function invocation instead of operator <

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C++

C++17

I'm trying to invoke a template function from inside another template, and the C++ compiler is getting confused trying to parse my code.

Basically what's happening is it can't tell that my function is a template function. It thinks it's a field, so it's interpreting the template open brace "<" for a less than operator.

const size_t chiR = tindexR::value;
auto chR = helpers::convert_channel_depth<tchR,trchR>(channel_unchecked<chiR>());
// this line fails at the first brace, thinking it's operator <
result->channel_unchecked<chiR>(chR)

It shouldn't matter, but for context, here's the function definition (it's inside a class)

template<size_t Index>
constexpr inline void channel_unchecked(typename channel_by_index_or_empty<Index>::int_type value) {
    if(0>Index || Index>=channels) return;
    using ch = channel_by_index_or_empty<Index>;
    const typename ch::pixel_type::int_type shval = typename ch::pixel_type::int_type(helpers::order_guard((value<ch::min)?ch::min:(value>ch::max)?ch::max:value))<<ch::bits_to_right;            
    be_value=(be_value&~ch::channel_mask)|shval;
}

I've had something similar happen before calling derived virtual functions when the base class is a template, which I could do simply force by preceding the call with this-> but I don't know how to make the C++ compiler do the right thing *here*

So my question is, how do I force the C++ compiler to interpret the line above as a function rather than a field?

What I have tried:

Here's my current workaround. Instead of calling the function, I've reimplemented it:

// there's a parse error here for some reason if i try to use 
// PixelTypeRhs.channel_unchecked<> where it thinks it's 
// an operator < call. I have no idea what to do about that.
// instead, reimplement them here:
const size_t chiR = tindexR::value;
auto chR = helpers::convert_channel_depth<tchR,trchR>(channel_unchecked<chiR>());
const typename PixelTypeRhs::int_type shvalR = 
   typename PixelTypeRhs::int_type(helpers::order_guard((chR<trchR::min)?trchR::min:(chR>trchR::max)?trchR::max:chR))<<trchR::bits_to_right;            
                    be_value=(be_value&~trchR::channel_mask)|shvalR;

This is undesirable, obviously.