Retrieving shapefile point color from .SHP file?

I also want to add that I have seen many posts on this forum that dont quite ask this quesiton. this post "
Where can I get shapefile data " got me to the two examples listed within, but the point options are set within the code, not retrieved from the shapefile.

So two questions. Can we retrieve point/polygon drawing options FROM the shapefile? or must we set them AFTER the shapefile is loaded?

thanks again.