Can texture memory return characters?

I have managed to use the texture memory to store integers. However, I need to manipulate the integers as characters and I have problems with the texture. I get wrong results. Is the texture memory capable of returning characters?

Also, when I bind a pointer to the a texture that I want it to return characters, does the pointer have to be char*?

Thanks!

Is the texture memory capable of returning characters?

Yes.

when I bind a pointer to the a texture that I want it to return characters, does the pointer have to be char*?

Yes.