LIBPQ Question

Problem:  Assigning a COUNT(*) result into an integer variable in my C
program consistently fails except when I assign the same result to a char
variable.  I can only assume that the internal data type the COUNT function
uses is integer.

Can anyone help put me in the proper mindset so I may deal with this,
seemingly simple issue, to resolution.

I need the integer result to to help me satisfy a dynamic memory
requirement... COUNT(*) result will tell me how many rows of data I need to
malloc and I cannot perform a math operation on a char variable.

Thanks

Cliff