diff --git a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
index 8394139..21994b0 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
@@ -397,16 +397,40 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Field data query
-	 *
-	 * Generates a platform-specific query so that the column data can be retrieved
+	 * Returns an object with field data
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$table
-	 * @return	string
+	 * @return	array
 	 */
-	protected function _field_data($table)
+	public function field_data($table = '')
 	{
-		return 'SELECT * FROM '.$table.' LIMIT 1';
+		if ($table === '')
+		{
+			return ($this->db_debug) ? $this->display_error('db_field_param_missing') : FALSE;
+		}
+
+		if (($query = $this->query('SHOW COLUMNS FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE))) === FALSE)
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+		$query = $query->result_object();
+
+		$retval = array();
+		for ($i = 0, $c = count($query); $i < $c; $i++)
+		{
+			$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
+			$retval[$i]->name		= $query[$i]->Field;
+
+			sscanf($query[$i]->Type, '%[a-z](%d)',
+				$retval[$i]->type,
+				$retval[$i]->max_length
+			);
+
+			$retval[$i]->default		= $query[$i]->Default;
+			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ($query[$i]->Key === 'PRI');
+		}
+
+		return $retval;
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_result.php b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_result.php
index 30aed38..130eea2 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_result.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_result.php
@@ -88,20 +88,14 @@
 	public function field_data()
 	{
 		$retval = array();
-		$i = 0;
 
-		while ($field = cubrid_fetch_field($this->result_id))
+		for ($i = 0, $c = $this->num_fields(); $i < $c; $i++)
 		{
 			$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
-			$retval[$i]->name		= $field->name;
-			// CUBRID returns type as e.g. varchar(100),
-			// so we need to remove all digits and brackets.
-			$retval[$i]->type		= preg_replace('/[\d()]/', '', $field->type);
-			$retval[$i]->default		= $field->def;
-			// Use CUBRID's native API to obtain column's max_length,
-			// otherwise $field->max_length has incorrect info
+			$retval[$i]->name		= cubrid_field_name($this->result_id, $i);
+			$retval[$i]->type		= cubrid_field_type($this->result_id, $i);
 			$retval[$i]->max_length		= cubrid_field_len($this->result_id, $i);
-			$retval[$i++]->primary_key	= $field->primary_key;
+			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) (strpos(cubrid_field_flags($this->result_id, $i), 'primary_key') !== FALSE);
 		}
 
 		return $retval;
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
index b1edc29..1189f30 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@
 	 * Returns an object with field data
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$table
-	 * @return	object
+	 * @return	array
 	 */
 	public function field_data($table = '')
 	{
@@ -419,19 +419,24 @@
 			return ($this->db_debug) ? $this->display_error('db_field_param_missing') : FALSE;
 		}
 
-		$query = $this->query('DESCRIBE '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE));
+		if (($query = $this->query('SHOW COLUMNS FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE))) === FALSE)
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
 		$query = $query->result_object();
 
 		$retval = array();
 		for ($i = 0, $c = count($query); $i < $c; $i++)
 		{
-			preg_match('/([a-z]+)(\(\d+\))?/', $query[$i]->Type, $matches);
-
 			$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
 			$retval[$i]->name		= $query[$i]->Field;
-			$retval[$i]->type		= empty($matches[1]) ? NULL : $matches[1];
+
+			sscanf($query[$i]->Type, '%[a-z](%d)',
+				$retval[$i]->type,
+				$retval[$i]->max_length
+			);
+
 			$retval[$i]->default		= $query[$i]->Default;
-			$retval[$i]->max_length		= empty($matches[2]) ? NULL : preg_replace('/[^\d]/', '', $matches[2]);
 			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ($query[$i]->Key === 'PRI');
 		}
 
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_result.php b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_result.php
index 4bfa0ae..a6dcde4 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_result.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_result.php
@@ -115,8 +115,7 @@
 			$retval[$i]->name		= mysql_field_name($this->result_id, $i);
 			$retval[$i]->type		= mysql_field_type($this->result_id, $i);
 			$retval[$i]->max_length		= mysql_field_len($this->result_id, $i);
-			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (strpos(mysql_field_flags($this->result_id, $i), 'primary_key') === FALSE) ? 0 : 1;
-			$retval[$i]->default		= '';
+			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) (strpos(mysql_field_flags($this->result_id, $i), 'primary_key') !== FALSE);
 		}
 
 		return $retval;
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
index ae17703..78a4bef 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@
 	 * Returns an object with field data
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$table
-	 * @return	object
+	 * @return	array
 	 */
 	public function field_data($table = '')
 	{
@@ -396,19 +396,24 @@
 			return ($this->db_debug) ? $this->display_error('db_field_param_missing') : FALSE;
 		}
 
-		$query = $this->query('DESCRIBE '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE));
+		if (($query = $this->query('SHOW COLUMNS FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE))) === FALSE)
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
 		$query = $query->result_object();
 
 		$retval = array();
 		for ($i = 0, $c = count($query); $i < $c; $i++)
 		{
-			preg_match('/([a-z]+)(\(\d+\))?/', $query[$i]->Type, $matches);
-
 			$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
 			$retval[$i]->name		= $query[$i]->Field;
-			$retval[$i]->type		= empty($matches[1]) ? NULL : $matches[1];
+
+			sscanf($query[$i]->Type, '%[a-z](%d)',
+				$retval[$i]->type,
+				$retval[$i]->max_length
+			);
+
 			$retval[$i]->default		= $query[$i]->Default;
-			$retval[$i]->max_length		= empty($matches[2]) ? NULL : preg_replace('/[^\d]/', '', $matches[2]);
 			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ($query[$i]->Key === 'PRI');
 		}
 
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_result.php b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_result.php
index 15e15cd..d55188e 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_result.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_result.php
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
 			$retval[$i]->type		= $field_data[$i]->type;
 			$retval[$i]->max_length		= $field_data[$i]->max_length;
 			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ($field_data[$i]->flags & 2);
-			$retval[$i]->default		= '';
+			$retval[$i]->default		= $field_data[$i]->def;
 		}
 
 		return $retval;
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_result.php b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_result.php
index 32ab1c2..25cf87b 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_result.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_result.php
@@ -109,55 +109,22 @@
 	 */
 	public function field_data()
 	{
-		$data = array();
-
 		try
 		{
-			if (strpos($this->result_id->queryString, 'PRAGMA') !== FALSE)
+			$retval = array();
+
+			for ($i = 0, $c = $this->num_fields(); $i < $c; $i++)
 			{
-				foreach ($this->result_array() as $field)
-				{
-					preg_match('/([a-zA-Z]+)(\(\d+\))?/', $field['type'], $matches);
+				$field = $this->result_id->getColumnMeta($i);
 
-					$F		= new stdClass();
-					$F->name	= $field['name'];
-					$F->type	= ( ! empty($matches[1])) ? $matches[1] : NULL;
-					$F->default	= NULL;
-					$F->max_length	= ( ! empty($matches[2])) ? preg_replace('/[^\d]/', '', $matches[2]) : NULL;
-					$F->primary_key = (int) $field['pk'];
-					$F->pdo_type	= NULL;
-
-					$data[] = $F;
-				}
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				for($i = 0, $max = $this->num_fields(); $i < $max; $i++)
-				{
-					$field = $this->result_id->getColumnMeta($i);
-
-					$F		= new stdClass();
-					$F->name	= $field['name'];
-					$F->type	= $field['native_type'];
-					$F->default	= NULL;
-					$F->pdo_type	= $field['pdo_type'];
-
-					if ($field['precision'] < 0)
-					{
-						$F->max_length	= NULL;
-						$F->primary_key = 0;
-					}
-					else
-					{
-						$F->max_length	= ($field['len'] > 255) ? 0 : $field['len'];
-						$F->primary_key = (int) ( ! empty($field['flags']) && in_array('primary_key', $field['flags']));
-					}
-
-					$data[] = $F;
-				}
+				$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
+				$retval[$i]->name		= $field['name'];
+				$retval[$i]->type		= $field['native_type'];
+				$retval[$i]->max_length		= ($field['len'] > 0) ? $field['len'] : NULL;
+				$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ( ! empty($field['flags']) && in_array('primary_key', $field['flags'], TRUE));
 			}
 
-			return $data;
+			return $retval;
 		}
 		catch (Exception $e)
 		{
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_cubrid_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_cubrid_driver.php
index 5a87cf0..c2112d6 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_cubrid_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_cubrid_driver.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 	/**
 	 * ORDER BY random keyword
 	 *
-	 * @var	array
+	 * @var array
 	 */
 	protected $_random_keyword = array('RANDOM()', 'RANDOM(%d)');
 
@@ -126,16 +126,40 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Field data query
-	 *
-	 * Generates a platform-specific query so that the column data can be retrieved
+	 * Returns an object with field data
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$table
-	 * @return	string
+	 * @return	array
 	 */
-	protected function _field_data($table)
+	public function field_data($table = '')
 	{
-		return 'SELECT * FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table).' LIMIT 1';
+		if ($table === '')
+		{
+			return ($this->db_debug) ? $this->display_error('db_field_param_missing') : FALSE;
+		}
+
+		if (($query = $this->query('SHOW COLUMNS FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE))) === FALSE)
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+		$query = $query->result_object();
+
+		$retval = array();
+		for ($i = 0, $c = count($query); $i < $c; $i++)
+		{
+			$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
+			$retval[$i]->name		= $query[$i]->Field;
+
+			sscanf($query[$i]->Type, '%[a-z](%d)',
+				$retval[$i]->type,
+				$retval[$i]->max_length
+			);
+
+			$retval[$i]->default		= $query[$i]->Default;
+			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ($query[$i]->Key === 'PRI');
+		}
+
+		return $retval;
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_mysql_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_mysql_driver.php
index 2d076f3..b54765d 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_mysql_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/pdo/subdrivers/pdo_mysql_driver.php
@@ -162,16 +162,40 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Field data query
-	 *
-	 * Generates a platform-specific query so that the column data can be retrieved
+	 * Returns an object with field data
 	 *
 	 * @param	string	$table
-	 * @return	string
+	 * @return	array
 	 */
-	protected function _field_data($table)
+	public function field_data($table = '')
 	{
-		return 'SELECT * FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table).' LIMIT 1';
+		if ($table === '')
+		{
+			return ($this->db_debug) ? $this->display_error('db_field_param_missing') : FALSE;
+		}
+
+		if (($query = $this->query('SHOW COLUMNS FROM '.$this->protect_identifiers($table, TRUE, NULL, FALSE))) === FALSE)
+		{
+			return FALSE;
+		}
+		$query = $query->result_object();
+
+		$retval = array();
+		for ($i = 0, $c = count($query); $i < $c; $i++)
+		{
+			$retval[$i]			= new stdClass();
+			$retval[$i]->name		= $query[$i]->Field;
+
+			sscanf($query[$i]->Type, '%[a-z](%d)',
+				$retval[$i]->type,
+				$retval[$i]->max_length
+			);
+
+			$retval[$i]->default		= $query[$i]->Default;
+			$retval[$i]->primary_key	= (int) ($query[$i]->Key === 'PRI');
+		}
+
+		return $retval;
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------