Prerequisite : you first need to install Dotclear version 2 alongside your current 1.2. Please refer to Dotclear 2 installation process. This weblog will be an emtpy shell designed to receive the content of your previous blog.
The brand new import/export plugin natively provided with Dotclear 2 will do just that. Go to the plugin's page and choose Import from Dotclear 1.2
Fill in the database connection details than click on "Import my blog". Si JavaScript is enabled on your browser, you don't need to do anything wut wait for the end of the process. Otherwise you will have to click on the "next step" button regularly. Depending on the size of your previous blog, the process can take long.
If you ever get a horrible error message telling you that maximum execution time is over, reduce the number of entries to be imported at each step. If you wish to migrate to an SQLite database, reduce this setting to 5 or even 1.
The plugin displays a progress bar so you know if it's time to have a coffee.
Last but not least, you don't need to worry about character encoding difference as the module caters for it.
Now that all your entries are imported to your new blog, you still need to import your previous media. Copy your Dotclear 1 media directory (named images by default) to the root of your webspace, alongside your Dotclear 2 installation. Now, in the sidebar of your administration interface, click on the about:config link and set the public_path and public_url parameters to the location and URL of your media directory. If Dotclear 2 and your media directory are on the same level, set the parameters as follows :
../images/imagesChange these settings accordingly if you choose to place your media folder somewhere else.