How can I use an InputField value as a variable name to save to?

Question

I'm trying to save some settings and results from Manipulate, and I want to be able to save them to different variable names. The code I have is something like

Manipulate[x,
 {{x, x1, "value"}, ControlType -> InputField},
 {{variablename, defaultname, "variable name"}, ControlType -> InputField},
 Button["save", variablename = x]]

So, the functionality I want is that I can write a variable name into the second InputField, hit save, and have the value of x assigned to a variable of that name.

However as it stands, hitting save only updates the value of the variablename variable within Manipulate.

Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

Provide name as a String and use one of those methods to assign the value: How do you programatically load data into symbols?

Manipulate[x,
 {{variablename, "test", "variable name"}, (InputField[#, String] &)}, 
 {{x, x1, "value"}, ControlType -> InputField}, 
 Button["save", 
  ToExpression[variablename, StandardForm, Function[name, name = x, HoldFirst]
  ]
 ]
]

Answer 2

This will work so long as you don't try to assign a variable that already has an assignment

Manipulate[x, 
  {{variablename, defaultname, "variable name"}, ControlType -> InputField}, 
  {{x, x1, "value"}, ControlType -> InputField}, 
  Button["save", Evaluate[variablename] = x]]