How to select multiple rows in SQL Server while filling one column with the first value - sql

Question

Each of my rows have a date. I want the database to keep the good date. But I am in a situation where I want only the first date. But I still want all the other rows. So I would like to fill the date column with all the same date in my result.
For an example (Because I don't think I expressed myself well)
I have this:
name value date
a 10 5/13
b 14 2/13
c 20 1/13
a 11 7/13
a 5 8/13
b 8 9/13
I want it to become like this in the result:
name value date
a 26 5/13
b 22 5/13
c 20 5/13
I searched for this information but I only find the way to select the first row.
for now I'm doing
SELECT name, SUM(value), date FROM table
ORDER BY name
And I'm kind of clueless for what to do next.
Thanks :)

Answer 1

Databases don't have a concept of "first". Here is an attempt, but no guarantees unless you have a way of ordering to determine first:
select name, sum(value), const.date
from table cross join
(select top 1 date from table) const
group by name, const.date

Answer 2

If you only want to do this for a query, to provide this aggregated data for some specific client requirement, then #freshPrince's answer is appropriate. But if want to actually modify the data in the table itself, and prevent the issue from arising again, then you need to change the schema.
Create Table newTable(
name varChar(30) not null,
date datetime not null,
value decimal(10,2) not null default(0),
primary key (name, date) )
Insert newTable (name, date, value)
Select name, SUM(value), Min(date)
FROM currentTable
Group By Name
and delete the old table... then rename the new table to whatever...
You will also have to modify the process used to insert new rows so that instread of always inserting a new row, it updates the existing row for a specified name and date if it already exists...

Answer 3

Your question is slightly confusing since your desired result is showing a date that does not exists with either b or c but if that is the result that you want want you could use something similar to the following:
select name, sum(value) value, d.date
from yt
cross join
(
select min(date) date
from yt
where name = (select min(name)
from yt)
) d
group by name, d.date;
See SQL Fiddle with Demo
But it seems like you actually would want the min(date) for each name:
select name, sum(value) value, min(date)
from yt
group by name;
See SQL Fiddle with Demo.
If the order of the date should be the determined by the name then you could use:
select t.name, sum(value) value, d.date
from yt t
cross join
(
select top 1 name, date
from yt
order by name, date
) d
group by t.name, d.date;
See Demo