Does Esri Geodatabase contain style information?

I've downloaded the C++ API SDK for reading/writing Geodatabases from:

http://appsforms.esri.com/products/download/

I don't know much about this file format and how it relates to ArcGIS's internal data format, but I'm trying to understand if it contains styling/color information for the features/layers. Looking through the .html documentation that's included with the API SDK download, I don't see anything about layers, styles, or colors. And this .pdf:

http://www.microimages.com/documentation/TechGuides/80FileGDB.pdf

Says "No style information is stored in file Geodatabases."

If that is correct, then why? I thought Geodatabase was Esri's preferred transfer format now? It's surprising that it wouldn't contain even basic style info. Is the idea that styling information is something you use ArcGIS to "lay on top of" the geometry contained in Geodatabases? But if you want to export data for another user, isn't Geodatabase the preferred way? But then you can't give them your styling info?

Answer

If you want to transfer styling info for your file geodatabase then that can be done using:

• Layer file (without data)


• Layer package (includes data)


• Map document (without data)


• Map package (includes data)