You know that you have to use EVENT_KEYDOWN and/or EVENT_KEYUP in MaxGUI, don't you?
Repeat
WaitEvent ()
Select EventID ()
'blabla events blabla
Case EVENT_KEYDOWN
Select EventData ()
Case KEY_ESCAPE
'do something
Case KEY_A
'...
End Select
'blabla more events blabla
End Select
Forever