An LM3914 has a datasheet that shows how to use it. It has an adjustable voltage reference that has its voltage set with 2 resistors and one of those resistors sets the amount of regulated current in the LEDs.
I had built one of those some time ago.Here is an instructable on hoe to make it.And by the way would could attach the circuit so that we could help you to trace out any problem.
And the LM3914 is not PROGRAMMABLE.
Help me my amplifier is on fire and my speaker is inside a beaker