Upgrading from SQL Server 2012 SP1 to SQL Server 2019 I'm upgrading an internal database at work, and we are creating a new VM to host it. 

I can't see an option to generate a script to export the SQL Server 2012 SP1 database for server version SQL Server 2019. Would it be better for me to:


Follow the upgrade path for SQL Server 2012 to SQL Server 2019 on the current database server, and export the database to the new server when the upgrade is complete.


or


Export the database from SQL Server 2012 as is, and script it for the highest server version available (2017). 


If I installed SQL Server 2012 SP4, would that give me an option to Script for Server Version SQL Server 2019?

Thanks for your help in advance.
This handy page from Microsoft should be very useful for you as it explains in detail how to carry out a migration and the tools and methods available:
Supported Version and Edition Upgrades for SQL Server 2019

Use the Data Migration Assistant (DMA) to scan your databases to make sure they can be migrated to the 2019 server. It will highlight any potential blocking issues such as deprecated features that you may need to resolve before you can migrate.

It looks like you will still need to upgrade your SQL Server 2012 to SP4 to be fully supported though.