Any text editor should be able to open a txt playlist that was generated by iTunes. It is a tabbed table that contains also the file tags. A spreadsheet program like Excel would clearly display the table structure.
A more straightforward format would be m3u. It contains only the filenames. Did you try to export the playlist in m3u format? (iTunes provides three format options: xml, txt and m3u)
What is the complete path and filename of the problem track?
To really find out what is causing the problem a sample playlist may be needed. Perhaps you could create a small playlist that contains a few tracks including the problem track (verify that you can reproduce the problem with that playlist). You can zip the playlist file, upload the zip file to some file sharing service and post the link here. (e.g. www.megaupload.com or www.rapidshare.com)
I have tried 3 different text editors (including emacs) and none of them were able to read the file. They all showed me gibberish. However, thanks for your suggestion to try Excel -- that worked.
My version of iTunes only offers txt and xml options for exporting playlists. I cannot find anything, anywhere about m3u format. I just checked the help and it specifically says that you can use only text and xml for saving playlists. (I'm using iTunes 8.2 and perhaps m3u was added in a later version of iTunes.)
I just exported the playlist in XML format and this is the full name of the file in that format:
<key>Location</key><string>file://localhost/E:/Personal/MikeMusic/Newton%20Wayland%20&%20The%20Houston%20Symphony/Big%20Band%20Salute-%20In%20the%20Mood/10%20Artie%20Shaw%20Medley-%20Nightmare-Carioca-Frenesi-Begin%20the%20Beguine-Lover%20Come%20Back-Softaly%20As%20in%20a%20Morning%20Sunrise-Star%20Dust-What%20Is%20This%20Thing%20Called%20Love-S'Wonderful.mp3</string>
Here is the location from the field that I was able to read in Excel:
E:\Personal\MikeMusic\Newton Wayland & The Houston Symphony\Big Band Salute- In the Mood\10 Artie Shaw Medley- Nightmare-Carioca-Frenesi-Begin the Beguine-Lover Come Back-Softaly As in a Morning Sunrise-Star Dust-What Is This Thing Called Love-S'Wonderful
And here is the location as given by the MC library:
E:\Personal\MikeMusic\Newton Wayland & The Houston Symphony\Big Band Salute- In the Mood\10 Artie Shaw Medley- Nightmare-Carioca-Frenesi-Begin the Beguine-Lover Come Back-Softaly As in a Morning Sunrise-Star Dust-What Is This Thing Called Love-S'Wonderful.mp3
I'll blow away the playlist and try importing the xml version to see if it has the same problem. If it doesn't, then my problems may be solved. If it does have the same problem, then I'll try creating a smaller playlist to see if it has the same problem. I'm hoping the xml version will fix the problem (because I was able to import my entire library in xml format).
Anyway, thanks for the information. At least now I am able to read the file and have a plan for trying to solve this problem.