awk: catch `exit' in the END block

you'll have to handle it explicitly, by setting exit_invoked before exit line, i.e.

BEGIN {
    FS = "=|,"
}


/some pattern/ {
    if ($1 == 8) {
        var = $1
    } else {
        # Incorrect field value
        exit_invoked=1
        exit 1
    }
}

END {
    if (! exit_invoked  ) {
        # Output the variables
        print var
    }
}

I hope this helps.