Note 1 - Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2009
Prior Period Reclassification Adjustment (in Dollars)	$ 3,200,000
Net Trade Accounts Receivable Concentration Risk Percentage	10.00%
Number of Major Customers who Exceeded 10 Percent of Net Investment in Sales-type Lease and Notes Receivable	1
Net Investment in Sales-type Lease and Notes Receivable Concentration Risk Percentage	10.00%
Concentration Risk, Percentage	10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Inventory Write-down (in Dollars)	22,000	1,065,000	1,019,000
Goodwill (in Dollars)	84,950,000	85,392,000
Indefinite-Lived Trade Names (in Dollars)	24,500,000	25,500,000
Pre-tax Royalty Rate		4.00%
Advertising Expense (in Dollars)	3,400,000	3,000,000	2,200,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value (in Dollars)	24,160,000	22,189,000	9,988,000	7,840,000
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current (in Dollars)	491,000	402,000
Investment In Salestype Leases And Notes Receivable Allowance For Bad Debts (in Dollars)	10,000	50,000
Held by Foreign Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value (in Dollars)	$ 22,500,000	$ 17,500,000
Extended Payment Terms on Receivables [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Sales-type Leases Contract Terms	1 year
Extended Payment Terms on Receivables [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Sales-type Leases Contract Terms	3 years
Minimum [Member]
Credit Terms	30 days
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	three
Maximum [Member]
Credit Terms	90 days
Net Trade Accounts Receivable Concentration Risk Percentage	10.00%	10.00%
Net Investment in Sales-type Lease and Notes Receivable Concentration Risk Percentage		10.00%
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives	five
If Discount Rate is Increased to 13.5% [Member] | Each Reporting Unit [Member]
Percentage of which the Fair Value Exceeded Its Carrying Value			43.00%
If Discount Rate is Increased to 13.5% [Member] | Trade Name [Member]
Percentage of which the Fair Value Exceeded Its Carrying Value		57.00%
If Discount Rate is Increased to 15% [Member] | Each Reporting Unit [Member]
Percentage of which the Fair Value Exceeded Its Carrying Value	13.00%
Each Reporting Unit [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	14.00%		12.50%
Trade Name [Member]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate		12.50%