Question

By adding the delay(1000) and delay(2000) will that correctly delay the return from the doAction ajax call? I checked the spec and I see delay used with other jQuery such as $("div.first").slideUp(300).delay(800).fadeIn(400); However I am just not sure about async = false ajax calls.

$.ajax({
                type: "POST",
                traditional: true,
                url: '/adminTask/doAction',
                async: false,
                data: parms,
                dataType: "json",
                success: function (data) {
                    $("#rdy_msg").text("Completed: " + id).delay(1000);
                },
                error: function () {
                    var cdefg = data;
                }
            }).delay(2000)

Answer 1

Delay is used with animations and will change the time until the next function in the chain executes.

from the docs (emphasis is mine)

Added to jQuery in version 1.4, the .delay() method allows us to delay the execution of functions that follow it in the queue. It can be used with the standard effects queue or with a custom queue

In your case you are probably looking for a simple setTimeout(‘function’, delay);

http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_timing.asp