VLC no longer plays *.wmv video format

[AG <computing.account@googlemail.com>]

Up until a few days ago, VLC used to play *.wmv format video files just 
fine.  Now, for some unknown (to me) reason, it no longer does so.

I have tried other video players (e.g. xine) and they work fine, so I 
believe that it isn't the lack of a codec, even though that is the error 
message VLC gives me when I attempt to play *.wmv files.

Has anyone else come across this and/ or have an idea what this is about 
and - more crucially - how to fix this?

TIA

AG