How to parse XML database in HTML5/PHP (and show it as table with group selection menu)?

Question

I was doing some research and testing regarding SimpleXML, but got confused after few tutorials, as nothing seems to work properly even with given correct examples.

Here is snippet from my XML:

<timetable>
   <periods  columns="period,name,short,starttime,endtime">
      <period name="1" short="1" period="1" starttime="8:00" endtime="8:45"/>
      <period name="2" short="2" period="2" starttime="8:55" endtime="9:40"/>
      <period name="3" short="3" period="3" starttime="10:00" endtime="10:45"/>
      <period name="4" short="4" period="4" starttime="10:55" endtime="11:40"/>
      <period name="5" short="5" period="5" starttime="11:50" endtime="12:35"/>
      <period name="6" short="6" period="6" starttime="13:00" endtime="13:45"/>
      <period name="7" short="7" period="7" starttime="13:55" endtime="14:40"/>
      <period name="8" short="8" period="8" starttime="14:50" endtime="15:35"/>
      <period name="9" short="9" period="9" starttime="15:45" endtime="16:30"/>
      <period name="10" short="10" period="10" starttime="16:35" endtime="17:20"/>
      <period name="11" short="11" period="11" starttime="18:00" endtime="18:45"/>
      <period name="12" short="12" period="12" starttime="20:00" endtime="20:45"/>
   </periods>
   <daysdefs  columns="id,days,name,short">
      <daysdef id="482022AFCEDCF" name="Bet kurią dieną" short="X" days="10000,01000,00100,00010,00001"/>
      <daysdef id="16D6E2FA661832" name="Kiekvieną dieną" short="E" days="11111"/>
      <daysdef id="7F5DEF4618260C" name="Pirmadienis" short="Pi" days="10000"/>
      <daysdef id="702B09E3B32532" name="Antradienis" short="An" days="01000"/>
      <daysdef id="DD03500376F98D" name="Trečiadienis" short="Tr" days="00100"/>
      <daysdef id="01789E3C13B6BB" name="Ketvirtadienis" short="Ke" days="00010"/>
      <daysdef id="13DFA73D1FCF28" name="Penktadienis" short="Pe" days="00001"/>
   </daysdefs>
   <weeksdefs columns="id,weeks,name,short">
      <weeksdef id="9F2CC828A18539" name="Bet kurią savaitę" short="Bet kuris" weeks="10,01"/>
      <weeksdef id="7079FCC2A71FEE" name="Visos savaitės" short="Visos" weeks="11"/>
      <weeksdef id="AFFAEB6883E8BE" name="Savaitė A" short="A" weeks="10"/>
      <weeksdef id="A3B74453781DA5" name="Savaitė B" short="B" weeks="01"/>
   </weeksdefs>
   <termsdefs options="canadd,export:silent" columns="id,terms,name,short">
      <termsdef id="4A1988EDB4386B" name="Visi metai" short="Metai???" terms="1"/>
   </termsdefs>
   ...
</...>

This is school timetable exported from some timetables software. In XML there is data like subject ID, which is used later in actual subject assignations to correct class, time, teacher etc. I want to parse XML data to nice table, with some kind of selection, more like in image (http://prntscr.com/dwk94p) as it is adapted to touchscreen devices, so student would select his group, and would see timetable formatted as in image http://prntscr.com/dwk6o3

Ways that software provides to publish it, is not satisfactory.

Wanted outcome - a bit like http://prntscr.com/dwk6o3 , just drop new exported file to directory containing website files, and it works

Our current custom system lacks ease of use - you need to convert file, edit out some characters, import to MySQL database. It is not easy task for person who is not into computers.

Thanks.