Media button in RTL

Question

It appears that there is a problem with the placement of media buttons in RTL text. Consider this MWE:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{libertine,media9,polyglossia}
\setdefaultlanguage[variant=british]{english}
\setotherlanguage[]{hebrew}

\begin{document}
\marginpar{\includemedia[
  label=song49,
  activate=pagevisible,
  deactivate=pageinvisible,
  noplaybutton,
  flashvars={source=http://www.kfeuerherm.ca/IntHeb/BBE.mp3&hidebar=true},
  transparent
]{\makebox[1cm]{x}}{APlayer.swf}\mediabutton[mediacommand=song49:playPause,tooltip={Play/Pause}]{(P)}\mediabutton[mediacommand=song49:play[(0.0)],tooltip={Reset}]{(R)}} 
%\begin{RTL}
\mediabutton[
  mediacommand=song49:play[(0.65)],
  mediacommand=song49:pause[(1.45)],
  overface=ONE
]{בראשׁית}
\mediabutton[
  mediacommand=song49:play[(1.8)],
  mediacommand=song49:pause[(2.45)],
  overface=TWO
]{ברא}
\mediabutton[
  mediacommand=song49:play[(2.8)],
  mediacommand=song49:pause[(3.8)],
  overface=THREE
]{אלהים}
%\end{RTL}
\end{document}

This example compiles fine, with or without \texthebrew in the media button label. However, trying to place \texthebrew around the buttons so that the labels will typeset in the correct order, or uncommenting the lines \begin{RTL} and \end{RTL} results in the error "xdvipdfmx:fatal: A pending form XObject at the end of page.”

Can anyone advise on the root of the problem and/or how to get around it?

Answer 1

LuaTeX is probably the better option. However, polyglossia loads bidi.sty which is not compatible with LuaTeX.

Fortunately, there is luabidi.sty.

We will have to cheat polyglossia somewhat to load luabidi.sty instead of bidi.sty:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{filecontents}
\begin{filecontents*}{bidi.sty}
  \ProvidesPackage{bidi}
  \RequirePackage{luabidi}
\end{filecontents*}

\usepackage{libertine,media9,polyglossia}
\setdefaultlanguage[variant=british]{english}
\setotherlanguage[]{hebrew}

\begin{document}
...
\end{document}

Compiling the document with the lualatex command produces a valid PDF, as far as I can judge.

Answer 2

The solution proposed above by @AlexG broke in early October 2014. In response to a request on the XeTeX list, @David Carlisle has offered a correction to the original code which solves the problem without resorting to a tricky kludge. The relevant section of code is replaced by the following:

\begin{hebrew}
\textenglish{\mediabutton[
  mediacommand=song49:play[(0.65)],
  mediacommand=song49:pause[(1.45)],
  overface=ONE
]{\texthebrew{בראשׁית}}}
\textenglish{\mediabutton[
  mediacommand=song49:play[(1.8)],
  mediacommand=song49:pause[(2.45)],
  overface=TWO
]{\texthebrew{ברא}}}
\textenglish{\mediabutton[
  mediacommand=song49:play[(2.8)],
  mediacommand=song49:pause[(3.8)],
  overface=THREE
]{\texthebrew{אלהים}}}
\end{hebrew}

This isolates the RTL to the actual Hebrew text while maintaining LTR for the purpose of the media button commands.