If you are using templates with numerous includes then exit() will end you script and your template will not complete (no </table>, </body>, </html> etc...). Rather than having complex nested conditional logic within your content, just create a "footer.php" file that closes all of your HTML and if you want to exit out of a script just include() the footer before you exit().
for example:
include ('header.php');
blah blah blah
if (!$mysql_connect) {
echo "unable to connect";
include ('footer.php');
exit;
}
blah blah blah
include ('footer.php');
