Income Taxes Statutory federal income tax rate (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Federal income tax at statutory rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
State and local income taxes, net of federal benefit	0.60%	0.70%	3.50%
Valuation allowance change	15.30%	(6.60%)	(1.70%)
Domestic tax credits	(1.90%)	(0.80%)	(0.80%)
Domestic production activities deduction	(3.10%)	(2.80%)	(2.90%)
Foreign operations	5.10%	1.80%	(0.90%)
Stock option expense	0.00%	0.00%	0.20%
Adjustment of uncertain tax positions	(3.30%)	(0.70%)	(0.10%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliations, Revisions to Prior Period Research and Development Tax Credit Calculations	(9.60%)	(9.10%)	(0.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Repatriation of Foreign Earnings, Percent	0.00%	2.10%	(1.40%)
Other	0.30%	1.50%	0.30%
Effective income tax rate	28.20%	17.50%	33.00%