VS Code: Export project

anyone figured out how to export your iq file in vs code yet?  Whenever i go to command pallete, then connectiq:export project it asks me to select a folder.  i assume that is the folder i want to place the .iq file but not 100% sure.  anyhow, even if i select the project root folder, i get a the following error.  Even on a new project.  Not using a barrel and the manifest just has the default  <iq:barrels></iq:barrels> or <iq:barrels/> tag

Barrel build failed: Invalid manifest file: Bad manifest file. Missing the iq:barrel tag
tried putting an empty iq:barrel inside of iq:barrels but still no joy