sample.c

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int allocate(ANY_TYPE  **p,
             size_t    s)
{
    if ((*p = malloc(s)) == NULL) {
        fputs("Error: malloc();\n", stderr);
        return -1;
    }

    return 0;
}

int main(void)
{
    int *p;
    int r = allocate(&p, sizeof *p);
    
    if (r != 0)
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    
    free(p);
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}