I have several .gdb files which contain hundreds of files within the .gdb files. I have managed to put together a topo map with ArcMap by Adding Vector data and adding some of the .gdbtable files which are lakes, contour lines, etc.
Are labels, like lake names usually within the .gdb files? Would they be in the .gdbtable files? Or, in a different type of file within the .gdb file?
I can use the ArcMap Label Manager to add the lake names but I would rather find the existing data, if that data might be in the .gdb files.
If it's in the geodatabase it will be an annotation file. Otherwise you'll need to label from the attribute table as you've suggested.
Labels are a property of a layer from the Table of Contents that is stored in the ArcMap *.mxd document. It's not stored in the geodatabase. Geodatabase annotation on the other hand is a feature class in the geodatabase as the other responder has mentioned and if feature linked uses a Relationship Class to maintain that link. It's best to manage all mxd's and geodatabase using the Catalog Window and not Windows Explorer. Hope this helps!