INCOME TAXES (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Jan. 29, 2017	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 30, 2016
INCOME TAXES [Abstract]
U.S. statutory rate	35.00%	35.00%
Unrecognized tax benefits	$ 4.7		$ 4.6
Interest and penalties accrued related to uncertain tax positions	0.1		$ 0.1
Amount of reasonably possible decrease in uncertain tax positions	$ 1.4
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] \| PKLT [Member]
Income Tax Holiday [Line Items]
Income tax holiday termination date	October 31, 2017
Dollar effect of income tax holiday	$ 0.0	$ 0.0
Per share effect of income tax holiday (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] \| PDMC [Member]
Income Tax Holiday [Line Items]
Income tax holiday termination date	October 31, 2019
Dollar effect of income tax holiday	$ 0.1	$ 0.1
Per share effect of income tax holiday (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0

Amount of decrease reasonably possible in the next twelve months for the unrecognized tax benefit.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (d)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DecreaseInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossible
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32687-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34349781&loc=d3e330036-122817

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32698-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income taxes from which a reporting entity is exempt or for which it will receive a reduction in income taxes as a result of the income tax holiday granted by the taxing jurisdiction.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34349781&loc=d3e330215-122817

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayAggregateDollarAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Per share amount effect of the income tax benefit resulting from the income tax holidays granted by taxing jurisdictions.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The date on which the special tax status will terminate.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayTerminationDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=SL6600010-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=plab_PKLTMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=plab_PhotronicsDnpMaskCorporationPdmcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: