Add a minimumAge config setting for PagePathHistory module per processwire/processwire-issues#1014 and add an option for throwing a 404 while still allowing PagePathHistory to perform redirects (if it has any). Also add a function: wire404(); that you can call for this, in addition to: throw new Wire404Exception(true);

wire/core/Exceptions.php

@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ class Wire404Exception extends WireException {
 	 *
 	 */
 	const codeFile = 4044;
+
+	/**
+	 * 404 is a result of a front-end wire404() function call
+	 * 
+	 * #pw-internal
+	 * 
+	 */
+	const codeFunction = 4045;
 	
 	/**
 	 * Anonymous 404 with no code provided 

wire/core/Functions.php

@@ -1210,6 +1210,24 @@ function wireRegion($key, $value = null) {
 	return $result;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Stop execution with a 404 unless redirect URL available (for front-end use)
+ * 
+ * This is an alternative to using a manual `throw new Wire404Exception()` and is recognized by
+ * PW as a front-end 404 where PagePathHistory (or potentially other modules) are still allowed
+ * to change the behavior of the request from a 404 to something else (like a 301 redirect). 
+ * 
+ * #pw-group-common
+ * 
+ * @param string $message Optional message to send to Exception message argument (not used in output by default)
+ * @throws Wire404Exception
+ * @since 3.0.147
+ * 
+ */
+function wire404($message = '') {
+	throw new Wire404Exception($message, Wire404Exception::codeFunction); 
+}
+
 /**
  * Create new WireArray, add given $items to it, and return it
  *

wire/modules/PagePathHistory.module

@@ -6,21 +6,21 @@
  * Keeps track of past URLs where pages have lived and automatically 301 redirects
  * to the new location whenever the past URL is accessed. 
  *
- * 
- * ProcessWire 3.x, Copyright 2018 by Ryan Cramer
+ * ProcessWire 3.x, Copyright 2019 by Ryan Cramer
  * https://processwire.com
  * 
  * @method upgrade($fromVersion, $toVersion)
+ * @property int $minimumAge
  * 
  *
  */
 
-class PagePathHistory extends WireData implements Module {
+class PagePathHistory extends WireData implements Module, ConfigurableModule {
 
 	public static function getModuleInfo() {
 		return array(
 			'title' => 'Page Path History', 
-			'version' => 4, 
+			'version' => 5, 
 			'summary' => "Keeps track of past URLs where pages have lived and automatically redirects (301 permament) to the new location whenever the past URL is accessed.",
 			'singular' => true, 
 			'autoload' => true, 
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@ class PagePathHistory extends WireData implements Module {
 	 */
 	protected $version = 0;
 
+	/**
+	 * Construct
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function __construct() {
+		parent::__construct();
+		$this->set('minimumAge', self::minimumAge); 
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Initialize the hooks
 	 *
@@ -484,12 +493,12 @@ class PagePathHistory extends WireData implements Module {
 
 		/** @var Page $page */
 		$page = $event->arguments[0];
-		if($page->template == 'admin') return;
-		if($this->wire('pages')->cloning) return;
-		$age = time() - $page->created; 
-		if($age < self::minimumAge) return;
+		/** @var Languages $languages */
 		$languages = $this->getLanguages();
 
+		$age = time() - $page->created;
+		if($page->template == 'admin' || $this->wire('pages')->cloning || $age < $this->minimumAge) return;
+
 		// note that the paths we store have no trailing slash
 		
 		if($languages) {
@@ -546,14 +555,29 @@ class PagePathHistory extends WireData implements Module {
 	 */
 	public function hookPageNotFound(HookEvent $event) {
 	
-		
-		$page = $event->arguments(0); 
+		/** @var Page $page */
+		$page = $event->arguments(0);
+		/** @var Wire404Exception $exception */
+		$exception = $event->arguments(4); 
 
 		// If there is a page object set, then it means the 404 was triggered
 		// by the user not having access to it, or by the $page's template 
 		// throwing a 404 exception. In either case, we don't want to do a 
 		// redirect if there is a $page since any 404 is intentional there.
-		if($page && $page->id) return; 
+		if($page && $page->id) {
+			// it did resolve to a Page: maybe a front-end 404
+			if(!$exception) {
+				// pageNotFound was called without an Exception
+				return;
+			} else if($exception->getCode() == Wire404Exception::codeFunction) {
+				// the wire404() function was called: allow PagePathHistory
+			} else if($exception->getMessage() === "1") {
+				// also allow PagePathHistory to operate when: throw new WireException(true);
+			} else {
+				// likely user didn't have access or intentional 404 that should not redirect
+				return;
+			} 
+		}
 		
 		$languages = $this->getLanguages();
 		if($languages) {
@@ -787,4 +811,22 @@ class PagePathHistory extends WireData implements Module {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Module config
+	 * 
+	 * @param InputfieldWrapper $inputfields
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function getModuleConfigInputfields(InputfieldWrapper $inputfields) {
+		/** @var InputfieldInteger $f */
+		$f = $this->wire('modules')->get('InputfieldInteger');
+		$f->attr('name', 'minimumAge');
+		$f->label = $this->_('Minimum age (seconds)');
+		$f->description = $this->_('Start recording history for a page this many seconds after it has been created. At least 2 or more seconds recommended.');
+		$f->notes = sprintf($this->_('Default: %s'), self::minimumAge);
+		$f->val((int) $this->minimumAge);
+		$f->required = true;
+		$inputfields->add($f);
+	}
+
 }