QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Nov. 02, 2014	Aug. 03, 2014	May 04, 2014		Feb. 02, 2014		Nov. 03, 2013		Jul. 28, 2013	Apr. 28, 2013	Jan. 27, 2013	Nov. 02, 2014		Nov. 03, 2013		Oct. 28, 2012
Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 124,251,000	$ 124,852,000	$ 104,882,000		$ 101,542,000		$ 106,009,000		$ 109,652,000	$ 106,680,000	$ 99,839,000	$ 455,527,000		$ 422,180,000		$ 450,439,000
Gross margin	26,624,000	28,650,000	22,190,000		22,882,000		26,675,000		27,078,000	24,789,000	21,098,000	100,346,000		99,640,000
Net income	6,700,000	7,344,000	15,950,000	[1],[2]	2,041,000	[3]	4,911,000	[4]	6,364,000	5,442,000	2,859,000	32,035,000	[1],[5]	19,576,000	[4]	29,855,000
Net income attributable to Photronics, Inc. shareholders	4,277,000	4,186,000	15,540,000	[1],[2]	1,993,000	[3]	4,840,000	[4]	5,940,000	4,863,000	2,323,000	25,996,000	[1],[5]	17,966,000	[4]	27,868,000
Earnings per share [Abstract]
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.07	$ 0.07	$ 0.25	[1],[2]	$ 0.03	[3]	$ 0.08	[4]	$ 0.10	$ 0.08	$ 0.04	$ 0.42	[1],[5]	$ 0.30	[4]	$ 0.46
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.07	$ 0.07	$ 0.22	[1],[2]	$ 0.03	[3]	$ 0.08	[4]	$ 0.10	$ 0.08	$ 0.04	$ 0.41	[1],[5]	$ 0.29	[4]	$ 0.44
Transaction expenses, net of tax	2,500,000		2,000,000		500,000		800,000					2,500,000		800,000
Non cash gain related to acquisition, net of tax			$ 16,400,000									$ 16,372,000		$ 0		$ 0

[1] Includes non-cash gain of $16.4 million, net of tax, related to the acquisition of DPTT.

[2] Includes expenses of $2.0 million, net of tax, related to the acquisition of DPTT.

[3] Includes expenses of $0.5 million, net of tax, related to the acquisition of DPTT.

[4] Includes expenses of $0.8 million, net of tax, related to the subsequent acquisition of DPTT.

[5] Includes expenses of $2.5 million, net of tax, related to the acquisition of DPTT.