Guarantor Subsidiaries And Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 185,419	$ 267,287	$ 35,950
Capital expenditures	(132,625)	(95,640)	(68,957)
Acquisition of businesses	(23,479)	(62,344)	(15,870)
Cash received from sale of real property	0	0	8,920
Other investing activities, net	150	(204)	(7,645)
Net cash used in investing activities	(155,954)	(158,188)	(83,552)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	0	(31,000)
Repurchases of common stock	(30,365)	0	(14,999)
Proceeds from borrowings under other long-term debt	56,000	189,000	140,962
Payments of other long-term debt	(57,052)	(226,861)	(106,309)
Proceeds from borrowings under the 6.50% notes	0	390,000	0
Payments of tender of 6.75% notes	0	(390,000)	0
Payment of financing costs	0	(12,400)	0
Dividends paid	(24,249)	(5,411)	0
Other financing activities, net	2,144	1,971	4,395
Advances	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(53,522)	(53,701)	(6,951)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(33)	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(24,090)	55,398	(54,553)
Beginning of period	70,143	14,745	69,298
End of period	46,053	70,143	14,745
Parent Company [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(6,789)	(2,659)	4,428
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Acquisition of businesses	0	0	2,193
Cash received from sale of real property			0
Other investing activities, net	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	2,193
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest			0
Repurchases of common stock	(30,365)		(14,999)
Proceeds from borrowings under other long-term debt	0	0	0
Payments of other long-term debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from borrowings under the 6.50% notes		390,000
Payments of tender of 6.75% notes		(390,000)
Payment of financing costs		(9,331)
Dividends paid	(24,249)	(5,411)
Other financing activities, net	1,637	1,319	1,109
Advances	59,766	16,082	7,269
Net cash used in financing activities	6,789	2,659	(6,621)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Beginning of period	0	0	0
End of period	0	0	0
100% Owned Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	191,831	268,602	31,943
Capital expenditures	(132,025)	(95,568)	(67,544)
Acquisition of businesses	(24,311)	(62,344)	(18,063)
Cash received from sale of real property			8,920
Other investing activities, net	150	(204)	(145)
Net cash used in investing activities	(156,186)	(158,116)	(76,832)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest			(31,000)
Repurchases of common stock			0
Proceeds from borrowings under other long-term debt	56,000	189,000	140,962
Payments of other long-term debt	(56,855)	(226,674)	(106,132)
Proceeds from borrowings under the 6.50% notes		0
Payments of tender of 6.75% notes		0
Payment of financing costs		(3,069)
Dividends paid	0	0
Other financing activities, net	400	(1,055)	(7,042)
Advances	(60,175)	(16,638)	(7,269)
Net cash used in financing activities	(60,630)	(58,436)	(10,481)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(24,985)	52,050	(55,370)
Beginning of period	63,365	11,315	66,685
End of period	38,380	63,365	11,315
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	377	1,344	(421)
Capital expenditures	(600)	(72)	(1,413)
Acquisition of businesses	832	0	0
Cash received from sale of real property			0
Other investing activities, net	0	0	(7,500)
Net cash used in investing activities	232	(72)	(8,913)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest			0
Repurchases of common stock			0
Proceeds from borrowings under other long-term debt	0	0	0
Payments of other long-term debt	(197)	(187)	(177)
Proceeds from borrowings under the 6.50% notes		0
Payments of tender of 6.75% notes		0
Payment of financing costs		0
Dividends paid	0	0
Other financing activities, net	107	1,707	10,328
Advances	409	556	0
Net cash used in financing activities	319	2,076	10,151
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(33)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	895	3,348	817
Beginning of period	6,778	3,430	2,613
End of period	$ 7,673	$ 6,778	$ 3,430